The choruses of carols will greet the guests entering the new sanctuary of Riverpark Bible Church for the annual Christmas concert on Dec. 11.

The women?s chorale, women?s ensemble, high school ensemble, junior high ensemble, jazz band, concert band and junior high concert band will be the first outside group to use the new sanctuary.

The doors open at 6:45 P.M., the concert is from 7-8:45, free of charge. Choir director, Aaron Bryan believes this concert kicks off the New Year and provides an escape for the students from finals week.

?It is the biggest audience we have all year of about 500-600 people,? Bryan said. ?We have room for a thousand so there?s room for everyone.?

The choir practiced for six weeks on a blend of traditional songs with a more contemporary spin. This includes, Fruitcake, a campus tradition Bryan began three years ago.

?Out of all the songs that will be sung at the concert, the one I’m really looking forward to is ‘Deck the Halls,’ since it is the toughest,” Bryan said. “I?d really like to see it come together.?

Elizabeth Grossman, ’10, will be the only soloist. Although this is her first year in a high school choir, her experience traces back to kindergarten.

“I’m really nervous about the solo,” Grossman said, “but I’m really looking forward to the concert; I think we’re going to do well.”

Similar to Grossman, this is band director, Chris Rice’s first Christmas concert.

?I expect a good performance from all three bands,? Rice said. ?Even though the junior high concert band has had only three and a half weeks of practice and the high school concert band have had only two weeks, the concert should be great.?

All of the bands’ pieces will be Christmas inspired, except three songs the jazz band had prepared for the Fairfield competition, but never presented.

?I?m looking forward to hearing the jazz songs they had practiced for Fairfield,? Rice said. ?Now they have a chance to perform them.?

Three jazz band will perform solos including senior Aaron Ortiz, junior Coleton Hutchins and senior Nick Erickson.

?I?ve been playing the baritone saxophone since the fifth grade,? Ortiz said. ?I don?t really get nervous because the audience is all family and friends. Although the solo is entirely improvised, I memorize ideas ahead of time, so when it?s time to perform I just play the ideas in the solo.?

As an annual tradition, the concert will end with a love offering for the campus staff to thank them for serving the students and school.