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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cThe University Choir is the choir that leads all of the liturgical services and all things chapel,\u201d he said. \u201cThe choir is made up of 50 students from the college that are studying pretty much everything, not just students who have a music major. It\u2019s a wonderful cross section into the variety of majors and minors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Preparation for the event began right after the students returned from fall break in October. For this season, there are 20 freshman members that are new to the choir. Ward said that they are excited to perform for such an honored and long-held tradition at the university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe thing that\u2019s really cool is that they don\u2019t really know what\u2019s going to happen because it\u2019s so special. The students always say that once you go through it, it just really hits you, and it\u2019s very inspiring,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ward has been a part of the event for the past seven years as the university choirmaster and organist. He also helps with recruitment, organizing tours, and fundraising for the choir, along with teaching at the college in the music department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ward said what is so special for him about the event is the magic that is unleashed in the form of atmosphere and bringing people together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s just the coming together of so many different people, and the magic of singing hymns,\u201d he said. \u201cHymns that we have all known our whole lives, in that setting, led by brass and organ. It\u2019s just kind of indescribable. It\u2019s very mysterious in a way because it elicits a lot of emotion and a lot of memories of one\u2019s past with not only the season of Christmas, but also just being able to be part of something special that is bigger than oneself. It\u2019s something that you\u2019re involved with. It\u2019s that you\u2019re part of a community that is really creating a work of art that is inspiring to thousands of people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ward said he hopes those that attend are able to experience the magic of the season and of coming together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI hope that they have that same inspiration,\u201d he said. \u201cThey hear the word and then they hear the music in response to the word and also accentuating the word. And just being able to be there for that is really not only important to the choir and all the work that we do there, but also to the chapel and the greater university community.\u201d GN<\/p>\n\n\n\n All Saints Chapel’s Festival of Lessons and Carols is a festive gathering of university students, staff, and faculty, along with the community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1338,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[25],"class_list":["post-1333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","tag-december"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Lessons-and-Carols-II-2021-1-1024x683.jpg\")
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