Director Jan Matthew conducts the orchestra during the FanFares and Carols Concert rehearsal in the Reber Center on Nov. 30th (O’Brien/LION).

Twice a year, at the end of each semester, all the music ensembles perform under the same roof for a concert equating to roughly 130 performers, Abigail Grech ‘25 said. On Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. in the NC Reber Center, these groups performed the Fanfares and Carols Concert.

Fanfare and Carols is a big deal for the choir because the concert truly connects the whole community and school, with performers ranging from freshmen to seniors. This is one of the few opportunities they all to all perform together, said Sophia Jiotis ‘24.

Performers from SC started preparing for Fanfares and Carols in late September and performers at NC began getting ready in the middle of October Jenna Eggerding ‘25 said.

“This concert is important to me because it was one of the first times I ever connected with people outside of my grade at LT,” Grech said. “Mr. Musick places SC choristers next to NC choristers, so everyone is kind of forced to meet someone new.”

Alumni come back and they sing the “Hallelujah” chorus and it’s the most nostalgic tradition that we have, director John Musick said.

“For what’s been a meaningful tradition for 10 years, the concert brings together all members of the community and alumni,” Musick said. 

Preparations for the concert began over the summer while getting the pieces together and trying to make this year’s performance unique, Musick said. This year the group sent out a survey asking for feedback and improvements for the concert, and they came to the conclusion of including songs that relate back to the heritages of the performers.

“Because of [the survey] we are doing a song in German because of German heritage, [and] a song in Spanish because of many of Latinx individuals,”  Musick said. 

Grech prepared during class and on her own, she said. She learned a Spanish song that the sopranos and altos sang, a Jewish song, and a Latin song as well.

“The combination of [genres] makes it fun and exciting,”  Musick said. “We have various ensembles and it’s very exciting to put those types of pieces together and form a sort of recipe.” 

Fanfares and Carols created an environment unlike no other, because everyone was there to create music and to make other people happy, Grech said. 

“This concert is so important to not only the LT choir, but me personally because of the beauty we create with it,” Jiotis said. “It allows us to paint a wintery picture through music and with the accompaniment of various instruments. Hearing people talk about how the concert made them happy and excited cheers me up so much. The concert’s importance is carved from the happiness it brings others in the winter season.”