One of the most significant aspects of the holiday season is tradition. Tradition brings communities together, a sense of nostalgia, and cultural resonation. As a part of LT’s 15-year tradition, heritage is celebrated in the LT choir’s annual winter concert.

On Dec. 6 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in NC’s Reber Center, Choir, Sinfonietta, and Creative Writing students gathered to perform their one and only production cooperatively for this year for the festive season. Choir teacher John Musick, and Orchestra teacher Jan Mathews led students in creating compositions of music while incorporating heritage. Singing sacred Christmas songs, songs in the language of Zulu and Hebrew, the customary song “Hallelujah” performed every year to end the night, and others completed the production. 

“[This tradition] is such a great celebration where we try to represent ethnic groups and traditional holiday music from around the world,” Mathews said. “Setting the tone for a beautiful holiday season.”

Although tradition holds a profound significance in the concert song choice, LT’s choral program and Sinfonietta performed pieces never performed before, and student poets also recited original poetry. With vocal, instrumental, and speaker soloists, student talent and passion were spotlighted. 

The ensemble represented the theme of culture for the second year through the inclusion of music differentiation within the concert. Music and art are deeply rooted in culture, and as Christmas, Hanukkah, and other holidays are celebrated during this season, Musick said that he deeply considers authenticity in creating a memorable concert to put the audience in holiday spirit.

“[It’s] not only entertainment, but a sense of belonging and an appreciation for the arts,” Musick said. “If you’ve never been to this concert, everything about it is special.”

With well over 100 students taking the stage a combination of vocals, poetry, and instrumentals bonded the audience and celebrated diversity. Poets, top string musicians, two percussionists, a flutist, two piano players, and many powerful vocalists prepared for the past couple of months practicing nearly every class period. Both Musick and Mathews expressed that they aimed their efforts to spill joy not only throughout the room but outside of it into the community.

“Our hope every year is that this production is something that the whole community could come and see and experience the wonderful winter nostalgia, and excitement that we all hope for in December,“ Musick said.