The Simpson College music department will put on its annual Lessons and Carols performance on Saturday and Sunday.

The performance is a combination of college choir, women’s choral, chamber choir and orchestra.

“This concert combines three vocal ensembles and an instrumental ensemble to create powerful music, and part of that power is the sheer number of people helping to create it,” said Eden Moad, a sophomore college choir singer.

Tim McMillin, director of choral studies, said he is thankful for his colleagues who help him put the show on every year.

“Everyone is open to new ideas which allows the performances to change every year,” McMillin said.

Each of the choral and instrumental groups practices on their own, and due to the large size of the show, this creates new problems that McMillin said he needs to address.

“This is a problem that I see as a good problem, but our biggest challenge is the sheer size of this performance,” he said. “This year, we are going to try to use the space at Smith Chapel a little more creatively by having some singers moving around and singing from various places during the service.”

Lessons and Carols also has a unique feel because, unlike other choir performances, the audience is encouraged to sing along to the songs they may know.

“It’s enjoyable to feel that sense of community when the whole of Smith Chapel is ringing with voices of the choirs and the congregation,” said junior Krystal Hidlebaugh, a college choir singer.

The performance is seen as a connection to the community in and around Simpson College, offering these songs as a way to connect the two.

“This performance is different than all of the others because it has the sense of community created by all of the choirs that is given to the Indianola and Simpson community,” said freshman Micah Zimmerman, a college choir singer.

Registration is still open for this year’s Lessons and Carols at:
https://smith-chapel.ticketleap.com/lessons2018/details