O Come, All Ye Faithful
Sir David Willcocks
Originally compiled and composed in Latin (Adeste Fideles) during the 18th century, this beloved hymn transformed into an essential seasonal anthem through the work of Sir David Willcocks. Serving as the Director of Music for the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, from 1957 to 1974, Willcocks crafted definitive, soaring descants and majestic organ harmonies. This standard arrangement highlights his signature brass flourishes and unified choral textures, inviting listeners into a space of grand celebration.

Sussex Carol
Bob Chilcott (arr. Thomas Burton)
Also recognized by its opening line, "On Christmas Night All Christians Sing," the Sussex Carolis a traditional English folk song cataloged in the early 20th century by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Modern choral icon Bob Chilcott infuses the piece with his trademark rhythmic vitality and warm, jazz-influenced harmonies. This specific chamber adaptation by Canadian conductor and arranger Thomas Burton sharpens the piece's rustic dance roots, maintaining a bright dialogue between the vocal sections. 

‍Sureon this Shining Night
Morten Lauridsen
Using a 1934 lyrical text by American poet James Agee, National Medal of Arts recipient Morten Lauridsen crafts a lush, neo-Romantic soundscape. Moving away from traditional winter nativity themes, the piece captures a deeply spiritual appreciation for the cosmos and human connection. A cascading piano motif anchors the fluid, overlapping vocal lines, illustrating a sense of quiet wonder beneath a vast, starlit winter sky. 

‍OP Brass Quintet
‍Stepping into the spotlight, the OP Brass Quintet showcases the brilliant tone, impeccable blend, and festive warmth unique to brass chamber music.

I Saw Three Ships
Arr. Ed Henderson
This 17th-century traditional English carol receives a vibrant reimagining from Juno Award-winning Canadian composer and arranger Ed Henderson. Known for his rhythmic creativity, Henderson takes the simple, Lilting 6/8 melody of the sailing ships heading into Bethlehem and injects it with syncopated drive, driving percussion, and rich harmonic shifts that transform a well-known tune into an exhilarating journey. 

‍Winter Song
Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson (arr. George Chung)
Originally released in 2008 as an indie-pop collaboration, Winter Song explores themes of distance ,onging, and hope amidst the cold season. Arranger George Chung translates the intimate, melancholic piano-pop ballad into a rich choral canvas. The arrangement utilizes vocal layering to evoke falling snow and the universal desire for safety and emotional warmth during the year's shortest days. 

Joy!
Arr. Ed Henderson            
Closing out the first half of the concert, Ed Henderson delivers an energetic, high-octane celebration of seasonal exuberance. Joy! weaves together traditional holiday motifs into a contemporary rhythmic tapestry. The piece serves as a tour de force for both the choir and the instrumentalists, leaving the audience energized as they head into intermission.

Hark! T he Herald Angels Sing
Felix Mendelssohn (arr. Sir David Willcocks)
This piece represents a monumental marriage of German classical music and English church tradition. Charles Wesley wrote the lyrics in 1739, which were later paired with a festive melody from a cantata by Felix Mendelssohn. Once again, the arranging genius of Sir David Willcocks elevates the carol with his legendary verse-three descant and reharmonized organ part, creating an enveloping wall of sound that demands a grand performance space. 

‍Deck the Halls in 7/8
James McKelvy
A clever and humorous subversion of a familiar standard, arranger James McKelvy takes the traditional Welsh New Year's carol and alters its meter. By shifting the standard 4/4 time signature into an asymmetrical 7/8 time signature, the "fa-la-la" choruses take on an unexpected, skipping syncopation. It requires sharp rhythmic precision from the ensemble and delivers a lighthearted surprise fort he listener. 

‍In the Bleak Midwinter
Harold Darke (arr. Thomas Burton)
Setting Christina Rossetti's melancholic poem to music, English composer Harold Darke wrote this masterpiece in 1911, which was later voted by experts as the greatest Christmas carol of all time. While often performed as a quiet dialogue between a soloist and a choir, this version arranged by Thomas Burton expands the expressive canvas. It maintains Darke’s tender, hauntingly beautiful melodic lines while balancing the delicate acoustic shifts between the voices and the accompanying instruments. 

‍Al HaNissim
Dov Frimer
Celebrating the festival of Chanukah, Al HaNissim ("On account of the miracles") is a prayer of thanksgiving for deliverance and the victory of the Macabees. Composed by Israeli musician Dov Frimer, this piece is characterized by aj oyous, driving Hebrew rhythm and vibrant modal harmonies. The soaring choral lines capture a communal spirit of resilience, faith, and triumphant praise. 

‍Silent Night
Franz Xaver Gruber (arr. Dan Forrest)
Choral composer Dan Forrest brings a cinematic breadth to Franz Gruber’s 1818 Austrian lullaby. Moving far beyond a simple strophic hymn, Forrest’s masterfully crafted arrangement builds from a fragile, intimate whisper into a glowing acoustic climax. It utilizes lush, expansive chord suspensions to paint a vivid picture of peace, starlight, and reverent awe. 

‍OP Brass Quintet
The OP Brass Quintet returns to the stage for a second instrumental spotlight. Bringing a shift in energy, the ensemble showcases its virtuosity and stylistic flexibility, treating the audience to a rich display of brass textures ranging from classical precision to lighthearted holiday cheer. 

‍The Christmas Song
Arr. Kirby Shaw
Known famously by its opening line, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire," this timeless classic by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells is the epitome of cozy holiday nostalgia. Master jazz choral arranger Kirby Shaw infuses the song with tight vocal jazz harmonies, smooth syncopation, and a warm swing feel, evoking the comfortable ambiance of an evening spent by the hearth. 

‍Hallelujah Chorus (from MESSIAH)
George Frederic Handel (arr. Canadian Brass)
No holiday choral performance is truly complete without the ultimate exclamation of praise from Handel's 1741 oratorio, Messiah. This grand finale features a brilliant arrangement popularized by the legendary ensemble Canadian Brass. Merging the soaring lines of the choir with the crisp, triumphant articulation of the brass quintet, this arrangement provides a thrilling, roof-raising conclusion to the concert program.