Christmas Music

We went to George Fox last night for their Christmas program. It was great. It is difficult not to compare the program with Hope's Vespers program. We have been there several times over the years. The Fox program was every bit as good. They put it on twice not the gazillion times Hope does which might speak to the communities involved. There was a full house last night.

I will only describe one song...but it was something that I have never experienced before. While the orchestra played on stage, the choir quietly, in the dark encircled the auditorium (a fairly modern proscenium arch) with the women on the left and the men on the right. We were nearest the women, so we had more soprano from our vantage point. But as the orchestra stopped playing they began to sing Silent Night acapella in a sustained manner with the shift in melody from each of the four parts that gave a swirling effect to the song...emphasis on sustained, no breaks at all from one note to the next. It is something I have never heard a choral group do before. It was just overwhelming. They had me at that point.

Our church choir director is a retired HS band teacher that does adjunct work at Fox. He is a brass man and led the brass ensamble in the warm up (while people were being seated) part of the program. We were glad to see Dick using his skills at the next level.


Today was Asher's dedication. It was so great to see the family with their friends (another Fox faculty member) have their boys dedicated together. There will be pictures...I took them on Amy's camera, so Brendon will put them up sometime. I will point you to them when they are.