This time of year, you can’t go anywhere without hearing Christmas music. From the carolers on the road to the commercials on TV, old and familiar songs pervaded the air.

On December 11 at 7:00 p.m., the liturgical and show choirs performed their yearly Christmas Concert in the Little Theater. They performed customary Christmas songs, along with a few collaborations and a little twist of their own. They were also many noteworthy solos and duets by the choirs’ main vocalists.

In a dark theater with soft overhead lighting, the SJV liturgical choir opened the show with a stirring performance of the ‘’Star-Spangled Banner.’’ The notes were exquisitely executed in a gentle and empathetic way, setting the tone for the fascinating two hours of performance that followed. The opening song was followed by a performance of ‘’Breath of Heaven.’’ Fanatical eyes and expressions remained intact from start to finish.

Next, the liturgical choir took the stage with a cheerful rendition of ‘’Carol of the Bells.’’ The choir did a sufficient job with this piece, making it one of the favorites of the concert.

The liturgical choir continued on by using the finest of smooth, gentle voices during the group’s piece, ‘’Angels We Have Heard on High.’’ It truly exposed the group’s versatility.

The liturgical choir continued the show by singing, ‘’Mary’s Boy Child.’’ An obvious Christmas classic, this piece presented one of the greatest moments of the night. The choir members were in sync on a captivating and expert level, with great vocal pitch. It was comprehensive, graceful, and passionate. The song was overall impeccable.

The liturgical choir’s final song was a collaboration of two classic Christmas songs, ‘’Joy to the World’’ and ‘’Joyful, Joyful.’’ The harmonies were perfect and the notes felt graceful and natural. The different sections of the harmonies were stunning, feathering in high and low notes in a style that was truly divine. These songs truly stole the spotlight, and laid the basis for the next performers.

Next up was the SJV band. Their first song was ‘’A Charlie Brown Christmas.’’ It was outstanding and left the audience suddenly full of glee. The notes were hit completely and deeply, which was an all-around great wonder. It rightfully earned a round of lively applause. This was a sheer favorite of the evening.

Following the opening piece was a rendition of ‘’Sleigh Ride’’ by the SJV band. It was an exciting and refreshing addition to the Christmas concert. The notes were so sound and clean that it sounded professional. It earned a vigorous round of applause.

Their next performance was a rendition of ‘’Rudolph.’’ It won the audience’s heart. It brought their musical skills full circle. They revealed a great range that was equally strong on both high and low notes. The measures of the song can be defined in one word: magnificent. They earned immense cheers from the crowd.

Continuing on with the show, the band performed their next piece, which was the classic ‘’Santa Claus is Coming to Town.’’ Kudos to the band for the harmonization of their instruments. Their playing sounded effortless and overall lovely.

The final piece for the band was also a welcome addition: ‘’Christmas in Sarajevo.’’ The arrangement of the orchestra was big, vibrant, and brought their section of the concert to a festive end.

SJV’s show choir, Lancer Harmonies, took the stage next with their opening number ‘’Welcome Christmas,’’ arranged by Andy Beck. The members of the show choir presented a side of themselves that was quite different that their standard. They came out this year bigger and better than before.

‘’Last Christmas,’’ with piano and arrangement by Ava Valentino, was a solid performance with plentiful melodies executed in graceful simplicity. Soloists Jenny Lewis and Carly Shepherd did a good job with this piece, and the notes they hit were agreeable in pitch.

The performance of ‘’Please Come Home for Christmas,’’ arranged by Mark Brymer, was praiseworthy and a nice contrast from the other songs. Soloist Olivia Howell was on-point, and was joined by the rest of choir with superb harmonies that were executed with passion and soul.

‘’Walking in a Winter Wonderland,’’ arranged by Mac Huff, made for a more whimsical portion of the show. ‘’Amazing’’ was the word I could use for the opening bars, better than any recorded version out there. The singers were once again standouts with lyrical melodies. Soloists Mackenzie Minogue and Amanda Hunt were right on the rhythm and volume, and their harmonies were an overall nice touch for the melody.

Lancer Harmonies continued the show with a rendition of ‘’Underneath the Tree,’’ arranged by Ed Lojeski. The audience loved the song because dance soloists performed during the song. Dancers Amanda Spina, Brigid Minogue, and Adia Montgomery stretched far across the stage, with bodies swaying and legs kicked high. It was a great moment that left everyone in the crowd with grins.

Next, the show choir offered a collaboration of a ‘’Christmas Medley,’’ arranged by Victoria Justice and Max Schneider. The performance itself was at the high normal standards of Lancer Harmonies. The truly satisfying part, however, was the extraordinary harmonies executed by soloists Emily Vagnone and Olivia Howell.

Following that performance was the holiday classic, ‘’All I Want for Christmas is You,’’ arranged by Mac Huff. It made the audience feel like they were in the middle of the music, while soloist Ava Valentino improved the song with riffs and harmonies.

One of the only solos of the night was ‘’Oh Holy Night,’’ by freshman soloist Sophia Murrillo. It was very reflective and full of vast happiness. It added to the audience’s abundant enjoyment of the night. Her lively singing and notes were impressive and received a hefty amount of applause.

The final two songs were a medley of music from Disney’s animated movie, Frozen. Lancer Harmonies began the conclusion of the show with ‘’Do You Want to Build a Snowman,’’ arranged by Mark Brymer and staged by Rachel Ryan.  With their harmonious voices instilling passion, the song was a crowd pleaser appropriate for any season. Soloists Emily Vagnone, Jenny Lewis, and Sophia Murrillo’s intense voice power had the audience applauding wildly. Their strong performance was well matched by the poise and charm of the entire concert. Visual magic emerged during this song when the dance soloists performed on the stage. Their physical movements boosted the brilliant performance. The dancing was captivating and truly added to the song.

The final song was ‘’Let it Go,’’ arranged by Mac Huff. It was a triumph of musical storytelling; starting the first verse in a solemn tone, and then jumping to an ardent, pulse-quickening, explosive leap into the rest of the song. Soloist Amanda Hunt was undeniably perfect. She hit her notes with emotional capacity. She concluded the night with exposed passion and force.

Everything about the SJV Christmas Concert was big, bold and beautiful, spotlighting on the liturgical choir, band, and show choir. The jovial atmosphere, enchanting dancers, and brilliant vocalists shone like stars on a clear winter’s night. Allure remained even after the final notes faded, and people left the auditorium cherishing the magic of the holiday season.