I recently attended A Procession of Carols – the 33rd Annual Sacramento State Christmas Celebration. In Sacramento each year there are numerous holiday musical performances throughout the month of December – many of them held at local churches.
It was at the end of my hike around the Fab 40’s during the Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour that I spotted a sign in front of the Sacred Heart Church for A Procession of Carols. The event was being held that same evening and in the afternoon the next day. See related post: Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour
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I decided then and there to attend the 2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 3rd performance. I arrived about a half-hour early and I was able to secure a choice spot on the center aisle. Attendees arriving closer to the start time had difficulty finding a seat. When I glanced around immediately prior to 2:00 p.m. start of the program I noted that the church was full – and that some attendees were standing in the back of the church.
The Sacred Heart Church is beautiful – inside and out. The exterior of the church is brick and terra cotta-stained concrete, constructed in the style of a Roman Basilica. Romanesque arches are found both inside and out, and the stained-glass windows and interior artwork are exceptional.
Performing in A Procession of Carols was the Sacramento State University:
- Men’s Chorus,
- Women’s Chorus, and;
- University Chorus
The singers were accompanied by instrumentalists (depending on the carol) on the organ/piano, violin, bass, trumpet, flute, oboe clarinet, soprano saxophone, and various percussion instruments.
To open the program all the performers filed down the center aisle in the darkened church holding light sticks and singing. During the almost two hour performance certain carols were performed solely by the Men’s Chorus, Women’s Chorus, or University Chorus. Other carols were a joint effort. There was also a narrator who helped tie the story being told by the carols together.
In order to keep the flow of the music going attendees were asked to hold their applause until the end of the program. The holding of applause and the dimmed lights during most of the program greatly added to my enjoyment of the music.
While there were some familiar carols, many of the carols were unfamiliar to me. The program included a list of the carols along with the text and translations so I was able to follow along.
The program also included two audience participation carols:
- Angels We Have Heard on High
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
The audience was instructed to stand and join in the singing when the conductor faced them. Some of the people in my immediate vicinity had very good singing voices.
I did not know it in advance, but this year’s performance was very special. This was the last performance of A Procession of Carols for Dr. Donald Kendrick, the conductor, who is retiring after completing his 33rd anniversary as the Director of Choral Activities for the Sacramento State School of Music.
Both the music and the beautiful surroundings combined to make A Procession of Carols both an enjoyable and memorable experience.
Comments on A Procession of Carols?
Did you, or have you in the past, attended A Procession of Carols? Do you have any observations to add?
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