12/24/18 – St. Olaf Christmas Festival – 9pm
2018 Christmas Festival Concert Program
The St. Olaf Christmas Festival is a concert performance that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday celebrations.
Started in 1912 by F. Melius Christiansen, founder of the St. Olaf College Music Department, the festival — which takes place at the college in Northfield, Minn. — includes hymns, carols, choral works and orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra.
This year’s festival features the St. Olaf Choir, the St. Olaf Orchestra, the St. Olaf Cantorei, the St. Olaf Chapel Choir, the Manitou Singers and the Viking Chorus, performing as individual groups and as a massed ensemble.
To follow along at home, download the program before the concert.
Light surrounds the choirs, it surrounds the orchestra,
and it surrounds each of us joined together.
As light shines through stained glass, glowing in reds and greens and golds;
we experience the light of life.
From candles casting their soft glow, flickering gently but filling the room;
we are met with the light of life.
Through our neighbor and through the stranger,
through those who let their lights shine in the glory of God;
we are filled with the light of life.
“I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
This is good news of great joy!
— Pastor Matthew Marohl
