Finally with all the hustle and bustle of Christmastime coming to an end, the 22nd edition of the Cardinal Chorale came together again to sing in Pickerington, Ohio. As people arrived, we greeted one another with hugs and smiles and well-wishes for the rest of Christmas and for the new year. Once everyone arrived at Epiphany Lutheran Church, we began our full-day rehearsal for the evening’s concert.
We ran through several songs, many of which we hadn’t sung together since our summer workshop. A couple of songs from previous years were also added to the list for the concert, including “Go Light Your World;” we were very happy to have Joey McClain with us to sing his beautiful solo for that piece. One song in particular, “Do You Hear What I Hear,” we sing only once a year during this concert. So, it can sometimes be a challenge to learn it in a single day. Never the less, we learned it and it sounded great!
After a couple hours of singing, it was finally snack time! We all gratefully devoured our treats before heading back in for the rest of our rehearsal time.
Dinner was prepared by the wonderful Chorale supporter Karen Hildreth. Mashed potatoes with noodles and chicken were delicious. During dinner, we got more time to reconnect with the friends we had not seen since early November at our Muskingum University YouthFest performance. Together, we played games, laughed, and enjoyed each other’s company.
Soon after, the Cardinal Chorale “suited up” in our signature red polos and got ready for an outstanding performance.
Everyone was happy to see a large audience, including many loved ones, holiday visitors, Chorale alumni and supporters, and friends. All of them boosted our energy and made the concert run without a hitch. Connor, Logan, and Joey aced their solos, and the Chorale excellently sang each song, even the ones some of us did not learn until today. There was much epicness when the alums joined us on stage for “Friends,” “America the Beautiful,” and “This is My Father’s World.”
Following the concert, the Chorale and audience intermingled. It was a hard “goodbye” for those of us who will not see each other until our February reunion.
“Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.” -The Irish Blessing
