High school, middle school choirs perform holiday songs for winter concert

The high school and middle school choral groups prepare for the annual Christmas concert Lessons and Carols, Dec. 9. The event takes place in the main auditorium, starting at 7 p.m.

In the past, the winter choral concert consisted of Christmas hymns and songs sung by the middle school and high school choirs. Three years ago, the event was changed to accommodate the Lessons and Carols traditions of reading scriptures before each song.

Choral director Susan Ainley will lead the choirs, and Ben Certain will accompany on piano while his wife Deanna Certain will play the flute.

Lessons and Carols is a Christmas order of service originally written and performed in 1880 by Edward Benson, the Bishop of Truro, in Cornwall, UK. In 1918, it was performed by the King’s College, Cambridge, and has been used as a Christmas service ever since.

This year the scripture passages will be read by FC Old Testament Bible teacher Scott Falk. The readings tell the story of the birth of Christ and the songs follow the pattern of the readings. The readings were done last year by nine high schoolers that each read one of the assigned passages.

“I have known Mr. Falk for many years and have always appreciated his way of reading Scripture aloud,” Ainley said. “I am very excited to hear him read the lessons in his sincere and present way.”

In the following podcast, junior Andrew Rieker discusses the Lessons and Carols concert with junior Andrew Moore.

The performance will open with “Sing Praise to Him, Our Lord”, sung in a double choir fashion, with the chamber choir on stage and the middle school and concert choirs in the back of the auditorium.

Cantiamo will be performing three composed pieces: “We Three Kings”, “Now is Born, the Divine Christ Child” and “Angels We Have Heard on High”. The chamber choir will perform two pieces: “First Noel” and “What Child Is This” which includes a male and female duet.

Second year choir member Andrew Moore, ‘21, talks about his previous experience in choir and what he looks forward to in this year’s performance.

“I find our intro unique compared to other choirs I was in, in previous schools,” Moore said. “I like the fact that we start off, away from the stands [risers] and then move to the stands.

“I found the most difficult to learn was our starting song,” Moore continued. “It is a very high song forcing me to open up a little bit more than I am used to.”

The chamber choir, familiar with much of the concert music, will sing after coming back from the Disneyland Candlelight processional, Dec. 8.

The chamber choir sang in Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional w/ Lin-Manuel Miranda, Dec. 8, w/ 500 students, 74 high schools. Since 1958, a mass choir, orchestra, celebrity narrator creates a magnificent spectacle. @fresnochristian #thefeather https://t.co/gQLBrJiSyx

— The Feather Online (@thefeather) December 9, 2019

The middle school choir plans to present “Away in a Manger” with two soloists and the concert ends with a special version of “Silent Night”, sung in the aisles of the auditorium. 

The concert is free and open to the public. Go out and support your campus choral groups!

For more articles, read Farmer, professional observe environmental impact on The Valley’s water, farming or PROMO: Christmas season brings along various events, opportunities for engagement.

Andrew Rieker can be contacted via email.