If you go
› What: Chattanooga Boys Choir Singing Christmas Tree› Where: Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St.› When: Noon and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1› Admission: $15, $20, $40 plus fees› For more information: 423-757-5580
One of Chattanooga’s longest-running holiday traditions takes place Saturday, Dec. 1, when the Chattanooga Boys Choir presents the 56th annual Singing Christmas Tree.
Two family-friendly shows will be presented in the Tivoli Theatre: the first at noon, the second at 5:30 p.m.
More than 100 choristers in the Chattanooga Boys Choir’s five component choirs will perform, as well as guest artists from the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Youth Orchestra, Ballet Tennessee, the Metropolitan Bells handbell ensemble and the East Lake Expression Engine.
The theme of this year’s Singing Christmas Tree is “On a Silent Night.” It was chosen to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the popular carol “Silent Night,” which was written in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr.
Audience members at this year’s Singing Christmas Tree will hear the carol in several versions, including a dramatic music introduction telling the story of how the song came to be written.
The choir also will perform a number of traditional carols, holiday music from around the world and several holiday favorites. These include excerpts from Benjamin Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols,” Dan Forrest’s setting of “The First Noel,” Carl Nygard’s arrangement of “I Saw Three Ships” and “African Noel” composed by André Thomas.
Among holiday favorites on the program will be “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Sleigh Ride” and “Little Drummer Boy.”
The choristers will also perform “Hevenu Shalom Aleichem” and “Ose Shalom” in their original Hebrew.
“There is surely something for everyone in this year’s program,” says Vincent Oakes, CBC director.
“In addition to the beautiful music, seeing over 200 young people engaged in such an impressive and wonderful program will be sure to lift the spirits of anyone in attendance.”