Don’t miss Saddleback’s A Feast of Lights!

Scott Farthing, the Dean of the division of Fine Arts and Media Technology and director of the Saddleback Chamber singers choir, conducts the choir and Symphony orchestra at their Thursday night rehearsal.  Jacquelyn Sharga | Lariat

McKinney Theater Dec. 3rd through Dec. 5th

The annual holiday tradition of A Feast of Lights returns to Saddleback College tonight! With an amazing lineup of songs performed by the College Choirs and Symphony orchestra, this roughly 2-hour long concert is not something you want to miss!

“It’s the 39th year of the concert,” said the choirs’ director and dean of the division of Fine Arts and Media Technology Scott Farthing. “The community comes together to sing, laugh, share food, and experience a college tradition!”

With 2020’s circumstances taking away any possibility to make the Feast of Lights happen, this year the choirs and orchestra are coming back with a bang. With 14 songs each guaranteed to make you feel just about every emotion you can feel, this concert will be one to remember.

“My favorite part of Feast of Lights is watching how the program affects the audience,” said Saddleback college student and choir board member Derrick DeAndre. “As if even for a little while nothing else matters.” 

Tickets are available online, but are selling fast. There are 4 concerts this weekend that you will have the chance to go to. Dec. 3rd at 7:30PM, Dec. 4th at 7:30PM and Dec. 5th at 2PM as well as 5PM. 

McKinney Theater as well as the Fine Arts halls are fully decked out for this holiday extravaganza, thanks to the handy-work of the Saddleback staff members and students. Before entering the theater, you should stop for a photoshoot on the red carpet between two tinsel covered trees under a snow machine! 

“The Feast of Lights is just so beautiful,” said Saddleback college student and Chamber Singers choir Vice President Faith Lovullo. “Every year the fine arts department out does themselves with bigger and better decorations and activities for our audience. I absolutely love seeing the magic our music and department brings to them.”

Many audience members are returning fans and friends that have attended the event for years, some even decades. The dedicated fans inspire the department to outdo the last, whether that be in decorations, food, or the actual performance, the goal is to wow the audience. Based off of the consistency in attendance, this goal has been achieved many-a-times.

The amount of hard work that goes into making this several-night-long event happen varies from year to year, but is never an easy task. The music load for the performers is heavy, and that’s accompanied by little time to prepare. Thanks to the leadership skills of Farthing and Symphony Orchestra director Yorgus Kouritas, as well as the dedication of their students, the performance always comes together in the end.

“My favorite part about Feast of Lights is seeing all the hard work and joy put into it pay off,” said Saddleback college student and choir board member Symeon Jordan.

This lineup of music doesn’t just cover Christmas, it also incorporates some beautiful Hanukkah songs, one of which shares the same name as the concert. The Symphony Orchestra will wow you with their medleys and challenging arrangements. The two college choirs will combine their efforts to sing songs in several languages, some well known, and some you may have never heard of before. 

This concert gives the audience a chance to really soak up the holiday joy and will even be encouraged to participate during the “Holiday Sing-a-Long” towards the end of the performance.

“The combination of two wonderful college ensembles, which are made up of students of all ages that represent the entire spectrum of the Saddleback student body, all come together to create this beautiful concert,” Farthing said. “ I think that it represents a beautiful college tradition! Also, I really love holiday music and decorations.”

If you still haven’t gotten your fill of holiday joy by the end of the concert, don’t worry, there’s more to look forward to. This event isn’t called a “feast” for nothing. You will be welcomed by a decadent assortment of sweet treats and dishes as well as warm drinks, all accompanied by an after-show small ensemble performance. 

“My favorite part of the Feast of Lights would probably have to be the sense of love and community it tends to spread afterwards,” said Saddleback student and Chamber Singers choir President Sierra Sutphin. “In my experience, it has alway been such a positive experience and I absolutely adore how it brings everyone together, especially around the holidays.”

You don’t want to miss out on this amazing celebration! This isn’t just a holiday concert, it’s an open invitation for anyone who needs a moment to relax and feel loved after a stressful year. Plus, who would pass up on an opportunity to listen to some holiday tunes?

Ticket links:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/194011492597 (Dec 3rd at 7:30PM)

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/205357619167 (Dec 4th at 7:30PM)

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/205359163787 (Dec 5th at 2PM)

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/205415743017 (Dec 5th at 5PM)

Updated Dec. 3 at 9:10 p.m. to fix minor style and spelling/grammar errors.

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