Flathead choirs perform holiday concert

A sweeping display of thousands of lights in fanciful arrangements is designed to strike people with a sense of awe and wonder as they enter the Flathead High School auditorium for the school’s holiday choir concert, “A Festival of Lights,” Tuesday.

“The songs are all about light, from worldwide traditions of both Hanukkah and Christmas,” said Kevin Allen-Schmid, Flathead choir director, “so we’re illuminating the music with a festive and sparkling backdrop.”

The concert explores the Jewish choral sound in depth, with songs in Yiddish and Ladino, ancient Jewish languages from Germany and Spain, as well as in Hebrew and English.

“These exotic languages are great for learning diction and choral tone, and to explore history and culture through song lyrics,” Allen-Schmid said. “The haunting Middle Eastern minor mode and accelerating dance tempos are fun new musical concepts that the choir students are studying.”

An ensemble of eight musicians form a Kezmer-stye band to accompany “Hanukkah Likhtelekh,” which is sung in Yiddish and means “Hanukkah Candles.” The clarinets, tuba and accordion evoke a definite eastern European ambiance.

“Hanukkah is really all about religious freedom,” said Rabbi Allen Secher, who will serve as one of the narrators for the program. “The stories tell how a people defend their right to worship or not, as they choose.”

Secher will light a candle on the menorah as he introduces each song, and then the Rev. Robert Helder will follow that by lighting an Advent wreath for the Christmas repertoire.

Helder, who was formerly on the pastoral staff of the Crystal Cathedral and is more recently an owner of Ross Construction in Kalispell, is designing and installing the light show as well as speaking.

“We did a show like this for Flathead High in 2003 when our daughter Elizabeth was in choir,” Helder said. “We did it again when our youngest, Jessica, entered high school, and for her senior year we agreed to ‘put up the lights’ once again.”  

Cathy Helder, Robert’s wife, is a full-time voice teacher, with several dozen of the high school singers in her studio. 

“The Helders are a show-biz family, if I ever saw one,” Allen-Schmid said, “and our students are the lucky recipients of their expertise and generosity.

“We’re doing the show twice to accommodate the anticipated crowd,” Allen-Schmid added. “This is a unique program not to be missed, with its exotic and inspirational pieces, and the spectacular lighting.”

Other highlights of the program include a visit by the three kings, beloved and familiar carols, and a newly composed a cappella choir piece by senior Concert Choir member Karl Boveng entitled “Stargazing.”

“Karl’s piece is simply magical,” classmate and choir President Anna Stone said. “The notes unfold in shimmering clusters to perfectly depict the yearning of the poetry.”

Stone created a multi-faith piece of art for the cover of the concert program, a menorah in the shape of a Christmas tree, surrounded by snowflakes and stars of David.

Flathead choir alumni will be invited to join the singers on stage for the traditional candle-lit finale: “Peace, Peace.”

The performances start at 4:40 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, and will last about an hour. The same concert will be presented each time.

There is no admission charge, but audience members will be invited to make a donation to the local United Way. Checks may be made out in advance to “The United Way.” All contributions are tax-deductible and go directly to aid the most needy in the Flathead Valley.