Local Choirs Perform in Annual Christmas Concert

Five area choirs from Chatham, Madison and Florham Park joined together for the Seventh Annual Community Christmas Concert at .

Along with the Lyrica Chamber Orchestra conducted by Adam Waite, choirs came from the Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township, the Chatham United Methodist Church and Calvary Presbyterian Church in Florham Park, along with the Korean Men's and Women's Choruses of the Drew Theological School.

The intimate Dorothy Young Center for the Arts at Drew University provided an ideal setting for the community concert Saturday night. Audience members smiled and waved at those they knew on the stage, who smiled and waved back. During the intermission, some singers and musicians stepped out into the main entrance to the hall, socializing with those they knew.

John Wright of Florham Park from Calvary Presbyterian Church Choir sat on a bench in the hallway during intermission asking, "How does it sound?"

Wright said the choirs had only had three joint rehearsals in the three weeks before the concert to prepare. The individual choirs received music in October to begin preparing on their own.

"My husband things 'Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer' is a Christmas song, so it's nice to hear real Christmas music," said Laura Hall of Berkeley Heights. Hall came to see her former boss, Robin Hoppe, a soprano in the Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township choir. "I'm having a great time, it's wonderful."

Among the pieces performed were "The Many Moods of Christmas, Suite Three," a medley of "What Child Is This," "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing," "Bring A Torch, Jeannette Isabella" and "Angels We Have Heard on High." A handbell choir accompanied the orchestra and singers for "I Saw Three Ships," and two vocal soloists, Michael Callahan and Matthew Fertakos, performed to spectacular applause during the performances of "Fantasia on Christmas Carols" and "O Come, Redeemer of the Earth," respectively.