On Sunday, Dec. 8, Jesuit High School Sacramento’s chamber choir will collaborate with the Saint Francis High School choir to host the annual Lessons and Carols service. 

Originating in England, Lessons and Carols is an event with a rich history that is dedicated to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Choir Director Mr. David Vanderbout explains the central themes and ideas that are communicated in the service.

“It’s not a traditional Mass, but it is a religious service – an Advent service […],” Mr. Vanderbout said. “The idea is to combine music that connects with the words: whether it be the word of the Lord in the Bible, text from people writing about the Advent season.”

Mr. Vanderbout believes that the experience is an immersive method of imitating the coming of Jesus.

“There’s an alternation of text readings with song and with music – connecting those two together,” Mr. Vanderbout said. “It’s very much an immersive experience. It starts off in the darkness of this time of year with candlelight. And throughout the whole service gets lighter and lighter as the music gets lighter and lighter to represent the light that God sent by sending Jesus here for us.”

Diverse members from the Jesuit community will give the lessons, while Jesuit’s Chamber choir will sing the carols. Additionally, student art will be displayed at the event. Mr. Vanderbout believes that uniting artists from different mediums is important for the creative community.

“Collaboration, an important opportunity for our artists of all types, whether it be visual or performing artists to display a level of collaboration,” Mr. Vanderbout said. “Oftentimes in the arts, we are kind of separate. We do our thing separately, and it doesn’t mean we don’t support one another, but we do it separately. To be able to collaborate on an event like this for such an important message is a really wonderful thing. I hope it impacts our singers, our actors, our artists, and our community at large as well.”

Lessons and Carols will be held at 7 p.m. in the Phelan Chapel of the North American Martyrs. Entry is completely free, and it’s a great way to learn more about the true reason for the season.