Season’s Greetings!

Yes, I am alive and well, even though I have been absent from the blogsphere :^). As I have these past three years, I have had the pleasure to plan for this year’s Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols with our chaplains. Since 1931, a Christmas Carol service has been observed at our Chapel and around 1990, our school adapted the form of Service of Lessons and Carols (see its interesting history here). It is one of my favorite school traditions that invites community members (faculty, parents, siblings, alumni, and community guests) to sing with our choirs for a night of glorious celebration. Each of the nine lessons are read by a student or faculty and followed by a corresponding carols of the Advent sung by all or by small choral ensembles.

As a vocal director, it’s a joy to look for arrangements that 1) are musically interesting, 2) highlight my students and challenge my advance singers, and 3) are relatively easy-to-follow arrangements for congregational singing.

Some of our favorite carols come from the 100 Carols for Choirs (edited and arranged by David Willcocks & John Rutter): Once in Royal David’s City, See Amid the Winter’s Snow, and Nativity Carol. In addition to these favorite carols from the book, here are some gems our choirs have discovered and have sung past three services (for some arrangements, I’ve had to contact the arranger directly…interesting times of digital downloads through PayPal!).

I know my students and I have our favorites from this list. If you find a new favorite, please leave me a comment!

Peace and joy to you,

ysl