The 33rd annual St. Thomas Christmas Concert will be released online on Dec. 18 after being recorded in November at the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Brady Education Center auditorium.

“A St. Thomas Christmas: Respite and Grace” will showcase over 300 student performers in six groups: Chamber Singers, Concert Choir, Donne Unite, Liturgical Choir, String Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented the traditional concert, which is typically held at a sold-out Orchestra Hall with thousands of audience members.

“The Christmas concert has been part of St. Thomas choral program’s legacy, so it’s fun to see that despite everything, legacy and tradition continues to march on,” junior Concert Choir member Bailey Peterson said.

The concert’s Artistic Director Matthew George knew as soon as the pandemic hit that he needed to make sure the Christmas Concert still took place in some fashion.

“One of the things I wanted to do this year was not try and make it look glitzy and glossy like we do every year at Orchestra Hall, but to let people see what we are really dealing with,” George said.

Student performers wore face coverings and were socially distanced during the recordings.

Specialized face coverings were provided for each of the performers based on their mediums: for instruments, a slit to go around a mouth piece, and for singers, a built-out feature allowing acoustics to travel.

Senior Symphonic Wind Ensemble member Riley Kahlmeyer said the specialized masks used for instruments restricted her ability to breathe easily and took time to get used to.

Peterson found that masks restrict his use of facial expressions when performing.

“You lose the entire bottom half, it’s just in the eyes, the physicality, the movement of it,” Peterson said.

COVID-19 restrictions forced the choirs to get creative.

“Our choir director, Dr. Pinsonneault, has really stressed the use of upper facial muscles, really emoting with our eyes, swaying with the music,” senior Concert Choir member Brady Swanson said.

Masks weren’t the only thing directors had to adjust to during their virtual concert prep.

“One thing he has done this year has been giving us more space,” Peterson said regarding choir director Albert Pinsonneault’s direction over the choirs.

Space that has allowed students more time to focus on their health, process the music internally and enjoy the music rather than solely focusing on techniques and details.

“There’s been a really special focus for me this year because in the back of mind I kind of know that things could take a turn, and this thing we’re doing today, right now, could be our last rehearsal,” Pinsonneault said.

This focus has made him more grateful for every class with students this semester.

For choir assignments this semester, Pinsonneault asked students what they love about the music and then gave them an opportunity to share those thoughts with the entire group.

Pinsonneault used these sharing points when the choir got caught up in tedious details or experienced a drag in class.

“Knowing that you’re performing something that means so much to even one person in the group just changes the game,” Peterson said.

These moments have taken place during the annual Christmas concert recording sessions as well.

“If something’s not working, we’ll just stop and be like ‘all right, let’s focus in, let’s remember why we’re doing this, let’s remember that what we’re doing is special to people in this room,’” Peterson said, “let alone the people who will be hearing it in the future.”

The virtual concert is set to be featured on St. Thomas’ YouTube page and at this link on Dec. 18.

Taylor Shupe can be reached at shup9397@stthomas.edu.