Festival of Carols Rings in the Holiday Season
The Alma College Choirs ring in the Christmas season with the annual Festival of Carols featuring the voices of more than 150 singers plus instrumentalists from the Kiltie Band and Alma Symphony Orchestra.
“The Festival of Carols is a community celebration welcoming people of all faiths for a concert of the familiar carols and sacred masterpieces that are part of our shared heritage,” says Director of Choirs Will Nichols.
The concerts take place at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 and Saturday, Dec. 5 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6 in the Remick Heritage Center on the Alma College campus. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors 62 and up, and free for Alma College staff, students and youth 18 and under. Seating is reserved. Call (989) 463-7304 for ticket information.
Festival of Carols
"The idea behind the Festival of Carols was to create an annual concert that would become a holiday tradition for the College and community,” says Nichols, who has directed Alma’s choirs since 1983. “It has become a big event for the Alma campus, but I am equally gratified to know that so many families in our area have made the Festival of Carols part of their family Christmas.”
The program includes many familiar holiday favorites, including “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “A Star in the East,” “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” “Angels We have Heard on High,” “What Sweeter Music,” “Deck the Halls,” “I Saw Three Ships,” “Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”
“It is always a challenge to squeeze so many musicians on to the stage, and to choreograph their procession and recession, but when you start with such good students it’s hard to go wrong,” says Nichols.
A visual festive environment accompanies the holiday music.
“The beautiful lights and colors that deck the hall are a big part of the holiday atmosphere, but the thrill is the wonderful way all these magnificent young people come together to raise their voices together,” says Nichols.
Posted: Tue, November 24th, 2009 at 4:34PM
