What better way to get in the holiday spirit than to enjoy an evening of beautiful Christmas music, while having the opportunity to do a little gift shopping as well! The community is invited to do both on Tuesday, Dec. 1, when the Starr’s Mill High School Choral Department presents its 13th Annual Candlelight Processional and Silent Auction.

The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Duke Auditorium lobby, where silent auction items will be on display and up for bid. Proceeds from the silent auction will go toward the Choral Scholarship fund, which benefits senior choral students who plan to continue participation in music at the college level.

The auction will be followed by the annual Candlelight Processional and evening of wonderful Christmas music by all six Starr’s Mill choral ensembles. Following a short intermission, all auction winners will be announced. Another tradition is the public auctioning of performances by the women’s vocal jazz ensemble, An Octave Above, and the 10-voice male a cappella ensemble Men of the Mill following the announcement of the silent auction winners.

The evening of music begins at 7 p.m. in total darkness with the SATB group Chanticleer opening with the Gregorian Chant O Come, O Come Emmanuel followed by the processional by candlelight of 150 singers to the 16th century Personet Hodie. The evening will continue by highlighting choral music from various genres and composers including vocal jazz, accompanied, a cappella and the music of such composers and arrangers as Franz Biebl, Benjamin Britten, Alice Parker, Robert Shaw John Rutter and Eric Witacre.

One featured group will be the 40-voice men’s chorus Camerata. This group will be one of only three featured high school choirs from the state of Georgia selected to perform at the Georgia Music Educators Association state conference in January in Savannah. The evening will conclude as all 150 singers join together again with arrangements of O Come All Ye Faithful and Silent Night as they surround the audience.

Dr. John Odom, director of Choral Activities, and Mrs. Christy Todd, associate director, invite the public to attend this wonderful evening of music celebrating the season. There is no admission charge as the Starr’s Mill High School Choral Department presents this evening of music as a gift to the community.

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