Discover the 5 best Christmas choir concerts to attend this season, from candlelit Lessons and Carols to powerful gospel performances that capture holiday spirit.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ You know that feeling when Halloween decorations come down and suddenly the world shifts into full Christmas mode? One minute I am sorting through leftover candy corn, and the next thing I know, every radio station has switched to playing Mariah Carey on repeat. But here is the thing about this transition that nobody really talks about: the best Christmas choir concerts actually start planning their performances right around Halloween time. I stumbled upon this realization last year when a friend who sings in a semi-professional choir mentioned that their first rehearsal for the Christmas season happened on November first. Talk about efficiency.

The connection between Halloween and Christmas choir season runs deeper than most people realize. These musicians spend those crisp autumn evenings, the same ones where kids are still trading candy and planning costumes, huddled together learning complex harmonies and perfecting their blend. While we are all watching scary movies and carving pumpkins, choir directors are already mapping out their holiday concert programs and securing venues. It makes you appreciate the final product even more when you understand the timeline.

When it comes to finding the absolute best Christmas choir performances, I have learned through years of trial and error that certain concerts simply rise above the rest. The first one that comes to mind is the annual Lessons and Carols service. This tradition originated at King’s College in Cambridge, but countless churches and concert halls have adopted the format. Picture this: a darkened cathedral lit only by candlelight, with choir members processing down the aisle singing “Once in Royal David’s City” as a solo treble voice echoes through the space. I attended my first Lessons and Carols concert three years ago, and I remember thinking it felt almost otherworldly. The alternating pattern of biblical readings and corresponding carols creates this narrative arc that pulls you through the Christmas story in a way that feels both ancient and immediate.

Then we have the Handel’s Messiah performances, which technically are not exclusively Christmas music since the piece covers the entire life of Christ, but the “Hallelujah” chorus has become so synonymous with the holiday season that most professional and community choruses program it during December. I took my mother to a Messiah sing-along once, where audience members were invited to join the choir for certain sections. She had sung in her high school choir decades ago and knew some of the parts by memory. Watching her stand up during the “Hallelujah” chorus with this enormous smile on her face, singing alongside probably two hundred other people, remains one of my favorite holiday memories. The sheer power of that many voices coming together creates a physical sensation you can feel in your chest.

Community chorus concerts deserve recognition as the third essential Christmas choir experience. These are the groups made up of accountants and teachers and retirees who rehearse once a week because they love singing. The quality varies wildly depending on the group, but I have found that the enthusiasm often makes up for any technical imperfections. Last year I attended a community chorus concert where they performed a medley of international Christmas carols. Hearing “Stille Nacht” sung in the original German followed by a Puerto Rican aguinaldo made me realize how universal these musical traditions really are. Plus, tickets for community concerts usually cost less than a fancy coffee, making them accessible for families who want to introduce children to live choral music without breaking the bank.

Professional chamber choir concerts represent the fourth category, and these tend to be the most musically sophisticated options. Groups like Chanticleer or The King’s Singers tour during the holidays performing programs that blend Renaissance polyphony with contemporary arrangements. I attended a chamber choir concert two years ago where they performed a piece written specifically for them by a living composer. The harmonies were so complex and unexpected that my brain kept trying to figure out how six voices could create that much sound. These concerts work best for serious music lovers who appreciate technical excellence and innovative programming.

The fifth type, which I have grown to love more each year, is the gospel choir Christmas concert. The energy at these performances is completely different from the more formal classical concerts. People clap along, the choir sways and moves, and there is this sense of collective celebration that feels uniquely powerful. When a gospel choir launches into a full-throttle arrangement of “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” the joy becomes contagious. I remember standing in the back of a packed church last December, surrounded by strangers who were all singing along, and thinking that this was what the holidays should feel like.

So while Halloween marks the end of one season, it also signals the beginning of another for those of us who love choral music. Those choir members starting rehearsals in early November, right after putting away their Halloween costumes, are preparing to give us the gift of live music during the darkest, coldest part of the year. And honestly, after everything we go through each year, we could all use a little more harmony in our lives.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

Reference

Miller, D. (2017). Christmas: An anthropological lens. HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory, 7(3), 409-442. https://doi.org/10.14318/hau7.3.027

American Choral Directors Association. (1959–present). Choral Journal. American Choral Directors Association. Print ISSN 0009-5028; Electronic ISSN 2163-2170. Available in databases JSTOR (Arts & Sciences XI Collection) and RILM.

National Endowment for the Arts. (n.d.). Promotion of the arts: Grants to organizations and individuals. https://www.arts.gov/