This service in song and word has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations, and includes hymns, carols, choral works, as well as orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs, and the St. Olaf Orchestra from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. Valerie Kahler hosts. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the St. Olaf Christmas Festival concert will NOT be performed live. More from St. Olaf: Since 1912, St. Olaf College has hosted an annual Christmas Festival featuring more than 500 student musicians and bringing thousands of visitors to campus. However, the global COVID-19 pandemic makes it impossible for the college to offer an in-person Christmas Festival this year.
Instead, we are pleased to announce that St. Olaf College will present All Earth is Hopeful, a digital concert and musical program celebrating the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season on Sunday, December 6, 2020, at 3:30 p.m. CT. Although nothing can or should substitute for the communal and elevating exchange that happens between musicians and in-person attendees of the St. Olaf Christmas Festival, this musical program is intended to offer healing and hope to thousands, whether they have experienced the festival in person, watched a live stream, listened on the radio, or viewed it through public television. Although the program will not include students from this year, All Earth is Hopeful will showcase music captured from recent Christmas Festival programs plus additional material from festivals not seen in many years.