20th Anniversary of Lessons & Carols Dec. 3

lessons and carols concert

lessons-and-carolsThe Brevard College Concert Choir and Chamber Singers invite you to the 20th annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Saturday, Dec. 3, in The Porter Center for Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m.The concert is free and open to the public.

The annual service follows in the tradition of the longstanding ceremony held at King’s College in Cambridge, England, where the Festival was introduced in 1918. The ceremony alternates biblical readings chronicling the prophecy and birth of Christ with carols that illuminate a part of the previous reading.

The program at Brevard College includes the original readings, along with supplemental carols selected by the director, Dr. David Gresham. As is traditional, the ceremony opens with “Once in Royal David’s City,” sung first by a soloist, with the choir and congregants joining in later verses.

The conclusion of the program is a beautiful arrangement of “Stille Nacht” (Silent Night) sung by candlelight.

“This is one of the most meaningful events in the life of the College, and I’m honored to be a part of the 20th celebration of Lessons and Carols at BC. I’m often told by college and community members that this ceremony acts as a balm in what can be a heavily commercialized Advent/Christmas season,” Gresham says.

This year’s concert will also serve as the finale of a day filled with holiday celebration in downtown Brevard. The Brevard/Transylvania County Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Christmas parade at 3:00 p.m. followed by the Heart of Brevard’s Christmas festival, Twilight Tour. The parade and festival will feature community members, local businesses, non-profit organizations and exciting performances.