We look back at the stunning service as Christmas comes to a close.
On the evening of December 16, Ave Maria Church was full and the atmosphere was charged with excitement and anticipation. It was as if, together, those present gracefully made the interior disposition of the Advent season manifest exteriorly. In the pews sat parents, siblings, friends, and parishioners ready to enjoy Donahue Academy’s first Festival of Lessons and Carols.
The service, which was planned and directed by Mr. Michael J. Olbash, Sacred Music Director at Donahue Academy, and officiated by Fr. David Vidal, Pastor, was a departure from the prior years’ Christmas Concert, which was typically held in an auditorium. In addition, it also featured younger singers than usual – instead of Rhetoric Stage (high school), Logic Stage (middle school) students amazed the congregation with beautiful renditions of challenging carols. For example, Grade 5 students sang Rejoice and Be Merry (arr. Parnell) while Grade 6 sang a heart-skipping, smile-inducing Star Carol (Rutter). The whole congregation joined in on favorites such as O Come, All Ye Faithful and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing while men and women took turns singing See Amid the Winter’s Snow to great effect.
In all, the choir loft held more than 200 students. The vast majority were in Grades 5 to 8 with just about two dozen Rhetoric Stage members of the Choir and Schola coming out to support them. “Each grade met twice a week for the entire semester to prepare,” said Mr. Olbash. In general, for Grades 5 to 8, each music class has involved music theory, vocal technique, preparation for sung Masses, and rehearsals for the Lessons and Carols. For the high school Choir and Schola, the classes are entirely devoted to rehearsing the music, as the choral music is more demanding.
Dr. Marc Snyder, Principal, introduced the evening with a bit of history on the tradition of Lessons and Carols, saying: “The ceremony we celebrate this evening finds its origins in the ancient monastic liturgy of Mattins, a lengthy vigil service featuring hymnody, sacred Scripture, and the writings of the Church Fathers. In 1918, King’s College, Cambridge, adapted Mattins into a special Christmas celebration, replacing its usual psalms and canticles with readings and carols that trace the story of salvation. Our own adaptation preserves this beautiful structure of alternating lessons and music, while enriching it with prayers and reflections that draw us into the mystery of the Incarnation and the fullness of our faith.” He added: “Donahue Academy proudly offers this sacred alternative to a typical school Christmas concert as an invitation to prepare our hearts for the glorious feast of Our Lord’s Nativity.”
Mrs. Renae Haas, who is a trained singer and sometimes cantors at Mass, has a son in the choir. “One of my favorite carols of the evening was The Road to Bethlehem sung by Grade 5. For students to be able to sing in parts at such a young age is remarkable, and they sounded like angels!” she said. “I look forward to many more years preparing during the Advent season and to attending the Lessons and Carols,” she added, hoping the new festival becomes a parish tradition.
Though today’s Feast of the Baptism of the Lord brings this Christmas season to a close, let us hold on to the promise of the new liturgical year and the prize of Advent – to welcome Jesus, our Savior, wholeheartedly each day from Christmas to Christmas! Donahue Academy wishes everyone a new year full of wonder and blessing!
If you missed it, you can still take a peek at two carols on Maria Vision’s YouTube channel!
