When the month of December comes around, everyone has that one thing they look forward to the most during the holiday season. Maybe it is baking cookies with family. Or maybe it is a glimpse of the first snowfall. But for anyone who has been a part of the Charlotte Choir School community, when December rolls around it only means one thing: The Christmas Concerts.
Over the course of two evenings last month, nearly 400 patrons took their seats in the nave at St. Peter's Church to watch, listen and even join in singing at the annual Charlotte Choir School Christmas Concerts. Noel: A Christmas Concert took place December 8th and 9th and showcased the five choirs of talented children and youth performing favorite holiday carols along with timeless classics.
For the last 30 years, choristers, parents, and patrons have added attending The Christmas Concerts to their yearly holiday routine and made it a fond tradition for all. Past choristers reminisce on the concerts being some of their most cherished moments while in the program while current choristers mark the performance as a milestone in their Charlotte Choir School career.
There's nothing quite like the magic that is created when young voices come together to spread warmth, love, and the spirit of Christmas through choral performance. The Christmas Concerts are not just a showcase of our young vocal talents; it truly is a celebration of tradition, the Charlotte community, and the joy of giving.
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Whether you’ve been attending Charlotte Choir School concerts for years, or this will be your first time, we want you to enjoy yourself and support our singers as a comfortable member of our audience. Here are some frequently asked questions about the concert-going experience that may help.
Our choirs love an enthusiastic and appreciative audience, so we encourage your applause. Please hold any applause during short pauses between movements or sections of longer pieces. Once a complete piece has ended, your applause is greatly appreciative. A standing ovation for our final curtain call is always appreciated, too!
Food or beverage is not permitted in our main stage venue, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Please respect the sanctity of our founding partner’s worship space.
Concerts begin promptly at the announced starting time. Latecomers and those who leave the venue before or during a work will be seated at the first appropriate break in the program.
Please consider how long it will take you to park, walk to our venue, check in, and have a moment before the show to familiarize yourself with the program and relax. We suggest you arrive at the venue at least 20 minutes before showtime.
Yes, cell phones and cameras are allowed. However, we require that you turn off all cell phones, cameras, pagers, beeping watches, and other electronic devices before the performance begins — and that you check to see that they are again turned off after any intermission.Audience members may take photographs before and after the concert. Please note, however, that no photography or recording of any kind is permitted during the performance. Anyone seen using a camera, smart phone, or other device for these activities will be asked to leave.
Our main stage concerts are about 90 minutes and are generally presented without an intermission.
Tickets are sold on our website and all tickets are delivered by email to the purchaser. We do not have a will call, and your ticket (printed or on device) must be presented for proof at the venue.
For main stage concerts at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church or First United Methodist Church, free parking is provided in the TransAmerica Square parking garage on Seventh Street. Enter on Seventh just west of Tryon and bring your ticket with you to the show for validation.
You’re Uptown for a concert in Charlotte — have fun! But there’s no need to stress. Business or business casual works for all main stage concerts. Most importantly, we want you to be comfortable.
That’s okay! We perform sacred and secular choral music with a repertoire that features a mix of accessible, familiar choral works, and some pieces you may not expect. You don’t need to know anything about our repertoire to enjoy our concerts. We will publish the concert program in advance, with information about the composers featured and pieces to be performed. We’ll also include links to Spotify and Apple Music where you can hear some pieces in commercial recordings. Elizabeth Lenti, our Artistic Director, also offers program notes from the stage with information on what to listen for in a piece.