California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

    Christmas Spirit Unites Cal Lutheran Music Groups

    Christmas spirit filled the air Dec. 2 as the California Lutheran University Choral Ensembles and University String Symphony combined forces to present the annual Christmas Festival Concerts in the Samuelson Chapel. The program included many well-known Christmas carols all performed by the choral ensembles, which was conducted by Wyant Morton.

    The chapel was packed as families, students and faculty came out to take part in the longest running annual event at Cal Lutheran.

    The concert started with Yoshika Masuda, the conductor of the Cal Lutheran orchestra, stepping to the stand and beginning the program.

    The programโ€™s theme was โ€œVeni Emmanuel,โ€ and it refers to the original Latin title of the great Advent carol โ€œO Come, O Come, Emmanuel.โ€

    This is Masudaโ€™s first Christmas program at Cal Lutheran and he was pleased with how the first performance of the night went.

    Masuda conducted โ€œSilent Nightโ€ at the concert and he said it was his favorite piece.

    Perfectly in key: The choir sang a carol for the audience, and the audience members stood to join in singing in the Samuelson Chapel.
    Perfectly in key: The choir sang a carol for the audience, and the audience members stood to join in singing in the Samuelson Chapel.

    โ€œItโ€™s a very beautiful arrangement first of all, very cheesy and I love cheese and its done very well,โ€ Masuda said. โ€œThe feeling of being able to be in control in a sense of the orchestra and the choir. Itโ€™s a very satisfying feeling. They are getting better every time we play. They are starting to sound like one orchestra, rather than 20 different players.โ€

    Masuda finished his set and this allowedย  Morton, conductor of the Cal Lutheran choral ensembles, to take the stage and lead a concert that put all in attendance in the holiday mood.

    Freshman Julia Garcia, who is a part of the Cal Lutheran choir and Womenโ€™s Chorale had a main role in the concert as she led with her solo in Veni. Garcia is the only freshman in Womenโ€™s Chorale. Garcia said her favorite song in the program was Veni, not only because of her solo, but the fact that it was the theme of the concert.

    โ€œI think it went really well. The crowd was great and the songs were excellent as always. I just felt so much energy and Christmas spirit in the roomโ€ Garcia said.

    Kelsey Coovert, who is a part of the Cal Lutheran choir and Regals Quartet, is a senior and is taking part in her final Christmas festival.

    โ€œI have done the Christmas concert all three years beforehand and it is going to be very sad to go,โ€ Coovert said.

    In her final festival, Coovert felt the concert went smoothly and that all the sets were done well.

    The concert came to a close as the whole chapel stood together and sang โ€œHark the Herald Angels Singโ€ and gave a round of applause to those who took part and helped make the concert happen.

    โ€œI would encourage anybody within the campus who plays a string instrument well, not even well. If you just play a string instrument and love playing a string instrument I strongly encourage you to join us. Itโ€™s something very exciting that weโ€™ve got going here,โ€ Masuda said.

    If you are interested and would like to get ahold of the music department on campus, call the Music Department at (805) 493-3305 or visit www.callutheran.edu/music.

    Gabriel Naudin
    Staff Writer