Alma College will welcome the community to one of its most cherished musical traditions later this month, as the Festival of Carols returns to the Remick Heritage Center’s Presbyterian Hall. Performances take place Saturday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m., bringing together hundreds of student musicians across the Alma College Choir, College Chorale, Alma Acapella groups and the Alma Chamber Orchestra.
Under the direction of Dr. Nicole Mattfeld, director of choral activities, pianist James Schippers, and Dr. Takeshi Abo, director of orchestra, this year’s program blends beloved carols, masterworks, and contemporary favorites. Audiences will hear timeless pieces such as “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Angels From the Realms of Glory,” alongside selections from Benjamin Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols” and Tomas Luis de Victoria’s “O Magnum Mysterium.”
Student-led a cappella ensembles — Pretty in Plaid, Scots on the Rocks, and Highland Harmonics — will also take the stage, performing seasonal selections ranging from Pentatonix’s “Evergreen” to the Beach Boys’ “Little Saint Nick.” The Alma Chamber Orchestra contributes instrumental works including “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and a festive medley of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.”
“The Festival of Carols is our way of welcoming the community into the warmth and beauty of the season,” Mattfeld said. “We hope audiences will pause from the busyness of the holidays and join us in celebrating through music—sharing a moment of light, connection, and joy.”
The Festival of Carols also highlights Alma’s vibrant musical community, featuring dozens of student vocalists and instrumentalists across soprano, alto, tenor and bass sections, as well as strings, winds, percussion and piano. Their work represents the culmination of months of preparation and collaboration within the college’s growing music program.
The event serves as the unofficial opening to a full season of performances at Alma College. Upcoming events include the Singing Scots Festival in February, the winter choir concert Nature’s Pace, Acapalooza in March, the April Masterworks Concert featuring multiple settings of the Magnificat, and the Alma College Choir’s international tour to Scotland and Ireland in May 2026.
The Festival of Carols is free to students, staff and faculty of Alma College. Tickets for the general public are $15/$7 for senior citizens (ages 62 and up). To purchase tickets, visit alma.universitytickets.com.
This concert will also mark the official announcement of the invitation that Mattfeld received to conduct in Carnegie Hall in March 2027. She will be a featured guest conductor in MidAmerica Production’s 44th season on the Carnegie Hall stage in New York City, whose singers will include choirs from across the country, as well as all the choir members at Alma College for the 2026-27 academic year. There will also be an opportunity for Alma Choir alumni to join in on the event. More information will be announced in months to come.
For more information about arts events at Alma College, visit the Heritage Center’s events page or contact the college’s music department.