Teacher, students anticipate Lessons & Carols Christmas concert, Dec. 9

The campus chamber choir plans on singing in a mass choir at the annual Disneyland Candlelight Concert, Dec. 8.

After months of preparation, including various auditions and director’s conferences at Disneyland, the choir will sing in two performances and plans on returning, Dec. 8, to sing in their annual Christmas concert, Dec. 9.

The Disneyland Candlelight Ceremony tradition began in 1958 as a way for Walt Disney to show his gratitude to the Orange County community that was home to his first theme park.

This is not the first time the FC choral department has traveled to Los Angeles, and specifically Disneyland, for performances. In previous years the choir department has competed in the Heritage festival. The Cantiamo choir earned a gold rating at last year’s festival permitting them to travel to Nashville for a festival of gold in the spring.

Witnessing the Disneyland Candlelight Concert for the first time in 2012, choir director Susan Ainley felt inspired to submit her choir for auditions after seeing the performance.

“I was not prepared for the beautiful concert that was performed that evening,” Ainley said. “The choir sang so many Christmas carols as they walked down Main Street and up to the risers, each singer holding a lit candle. Suddenly, I saw an actress I recognized, Molly Ringwald, stand and start to read the Christmas story from the Bible. It was a moving experience, completely spiritual and festive at the same time. I literally could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. And, of course, as a choir director, I thought to myself ‘I have to do this.’”

Similar to the FC Lessons and Carols Christmas concert, scripture is read by a randomly selected celebrity followed by singing from the mass choir, accompanied by an orchestra. The celebrity last year was Chris Pratt. It is unknown to the public who the reader will be until soon before the performance.

The mass choir is made up of a large group of singers that have been selected based on their audition piece they submitted to Disneyland. The group number varies, but, this year’s group numbers 500+.

Although initially denied the chance to audition for the concert, Ainley persisted and was given the opportunity to send in audition tapes. Pleased with her and the choir’s success, Ainley looks forward to the performance.

“The students, parents and I are so very excited and honored to sing with this select group of musicians,” Ainley said, “and we can’t wait to participate in one of Disneyland’s oldest and most cherished traditions.”

The mass choir will sing eight composed pieces and five carols in the performance. The carols are sung during the processional with the composed pieces in between each passage of scripture read.

In the following podcast, Andrew Rieker interviews Noah Weimer about his feelings about his upcoming performance in Disneyland Candlelight Concert, Dec. 8.

First-year chamber choir singer, Noah Weimer, ‘22, shares his thoughts on the upcoming Disneyland Candlelight Concert. A choir member in junior high and high school, this is Weimer’s first experience in the chamber choir.

“I think that the best part of the trip is that we get to go to Disneyland and sing there, that is pretty cool,” Weimer said. “You get a new opinion under a new choir director, but at the same time they might work a piece in a way you don’t want to do or in a way that sounds bad. It also is difficult to learn a new style of directing.”

Senior chamber choir member, Braden Bell, looks forward to the opportunity to experience this alongside friends during his final year of high school as well as the ability to share Christ’s story with others.

I am so thankful to have the opportunity to experience this trip,” Bell said, “especially during my senior year! Making the most of every opportunity at hand and getting involved in so many fun events has really made the year fly! I am really looking forward to performing in the Disney Candlelight Concert this weekend! It is especially neat to have the opportunity to share the story or Christ through not only our songs but also through readings by the guest speaker.

The chamber choir traveled for a rehearsal over Thanksgiving break, as this is required in eligibility to perform in concerts. The rehearsal was not held in Disneyland but in Orange Lutheran High School in Los Angeles. Two performances will be held, Dec. 8, in Disneyland in the Orange County area. The first performance starts around 5:45 p.m. and the second performance is held at 7:30 p.m.

The chamber choir will drive down the day before and then meet at Disneyland the next day at 1 p.m. After the performance, students will pack up and drive back home.

The choirs will go to school the next day and hold a rehearsal at 11 a.m. for the FC choral Christmas concert, Dec. 9. The Christmas concert is similar to the Disneyland performance in the arrangement of the Lessons and Carols.

For more articles about the FC music program, read Aloha Bound.

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Andrew Rieker can be contacted via email.