The 48-member Hendrix College Choir will present its 42nd season of Candlelight Carol performances beginning Thursday, Nov. 30, in Greene Chapel on the Hendrix campus.
Evening performances in the chapel will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30; Friday, Dec. 1, and Saturday, Dec. 2. A matinee performance will occur at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3. All performances are free, but reservations are required for campus performances because seating is limited. There is limited seating left so reservations are required. Call (501) 450-1495 this week from noon to 2 p.m.
In addition to the campus performances, the choir will present two Candlelight Carol services on tour. The first will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, at Germantown University United Methodist Church in Germantown, Tenn. The second will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Little Rock. Reservations are not required for the off-campus performances, and there is no admission fee.
The Candlelight Carol service is modeled after the annual festival of lessons and carols that has been conducted by King's College Choir in Cambridge, England, since the early 1900s. The Hendrix service uses the same nine lessons – readings from Scripture – as the English service. Hendrix also uses the same processional hymn, “Once in Royal David's City,” but the other music varies each year.
Among this year's selections will be music by composers Jan Sweelinck, Anton Bruckner, John Rutter, Conrad Susa, Robert Young, Healey Willan and others. Nancy Fleming, Hendrix professor of music, is choir director.
The choir includes students from 12 states, France and South Korea.
Arkansas students performing are Elizabeth Akama-Makia, John Casey, Jeff Craft, Christine Faubel, Matt Ormsbee, Rachel Pollitzer, Lizzy Price and Terryn Weygandt of Little Rock; Kate Cook of Hope; Ashley Cowles of Van Buren; Morgan Haney of Mammouth Spring; Ryan Hoyle of Searcy; Katie Jordan of Roland; Allyson McNabb of Conway; Matt Sharos of Bella Vista; and Hilary Stine of Harrison.