Spreading the joy of Christmas at Luther

Once a year, Christmas at Luther ignites campus with a celebration of joy, music and the holiday spirit. Beginning Thursday evening and running until Sunday afternoon, the performance kicks off the holiday season throughout campus.

The event showcases the college’s six choirs: Aurora, Norsemen, Cantorei, Cathedral Choir, Collegiate Chorale, and Nordic Choir, as well as the Symphony Orchestra and the Luther Ringers. The performance is also brought together by great efforts from The Box Office and other help from across the campus.

Creating an event with a total of 600 students, faculty performers and 8,000 audience members is not a small accomplishment. Along with the music students and faculty, The Box Office also helps make this event come together.

“Along with Commencement, Christmas at Luther is the busiest time of the year,” Box Office Assistant Manager Efe Brown (‘10) said. “It just gets crazier until it’s over, but people love it so much, it’s worth all the work.”

And indeed, Christmas at Luther is a demanding event. The students and staff involved have to balance not just homework, club activities and work but also the extra practices and time taken to arrange the show. On top of regular choir rehearsals are added mass rehearsals in which all student performers put together the mass pieces.

Putting five mass pieces and staging together in 20 hours sounds like a challenge. Many of those performing say yes, but mention the benefits of such practice.

“It’s a huge time commitment, but there’s something about it that’s so energizing, playing with the orchestra and coming together with 500 singers,” Susie Clark (‘10), a violist in Symphony Orchestra, said.

A high-quality event such as Christmas at Luther takes time, but the hard work does pay off.

“Alumni and students talk about how much their relatives love it,” Ian Nichols (‘10), president of Collegiate Choir, said. “Many people not even associated with the school will come just to see the show.”

For Dr. Sandra Peter, who conducts Aurora and Cathedral Choir, Christmas at Luther is a way to introduce students to something very new and unique.

“One aspect I do enjoy is introducing the first year students to the experience, because it will make an impact in their lives,” she said.

If you didn’t get a ticket but would like to see the performance, you are not out of luck. Though the show is sold out, as it has been for many years, the box office offers stand-by seating the night of each performance.

If people are unable to show up, their seats are given to stand-bys as an effort to give as many people as possible the opportunity to see the show. There are no guarantees for a seat, but for a chance, simply hop in line in the CFL about an hour and a half before the performance you want to see.

Good luck to those performing, and enjoy the show for those who come to watch.