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Sunday, December 04, 2005
Christmas City! Personally, I don't think there's a better place to be at Christmas time than historic Bethlehem! Main street is all aglow with lights and Christmas Carols drift through the air. Outside my window I hear horse hooves and jingle bells as tourists get rides in horse-drawn carriages. And by the public library the huge tree is lit up with the nativity scene under it. And, to make the holiday cheer even more splendid, it snowed last night!
It is also Vespers season! Vespers is the annual Christmas concert/service held in the Central Moravian Church. I experienced Vespers with my family on friday and it was absolutely wonderful. As everyone filed into the church, the trombone choir played Christmas carols up in the bell tower - where it was very cold! Music was provided by both the Choir and Women's chorus, Vocalis, the brass ensemble, the guitar ensemble, and the Montiverdi ensemble, all of whom were excellent. At the end, the congregation, too, joined in singing carols by the light of the traditional beeswax vespers candles.
As for the orchestra benefit concert (nearly a month ago - wow, where did the time go?!) it was a success; we earned over $900 for the Family Readiness Group. The marching band season came to an end a few weeks ago, formally closed by a band dinner and the giving of awards to each member of the band. Now there's only one more week of classes before finals, and then winter break! Happy Holidays!
I finally learned how to post pictures, so here's an old one of the bell tower of Central Moravian Church - where the trombone choir and brass ensemble play during Vespers.
Rachel
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