Musicians at Concordia University in Irvine, California have reached the national stage to showcase their school’s annual Christmas concert after it was picked up by TV stations across the country this year.
The popularity of Concordia’s choir and orchestra Christmas program has grown so much, according to orchestra director and assistant dean of Concordia’s School of Arts and Sciences, Jeff Held, the university had to relocate to Irvine’s Segerstrom Concert Hall several years ago after selling out shows on their school campus.
Held, who started the school’s symphony orchestra nearly 20 years ago and organizes much of the vocal and instrumental Christmas program, has played a leading role in its growth.
“We literally had to relocate somewhere bigger to accommodate the growing number of people attending [the Christmas concert] every year,” Held told The Epoch Times. “Getting a slot at Segerstrom is a huge deal. ... I consider it one of the best concert halls in the nation.”
Despite COVID-19 lockdowns forcing the school to cancel its concert in 2020, Concordia was able to record an hour-long Christmas special, which was video and audio recorded and screened by PBS across Southern California. The program was so well-received, it was picked up this year by CBS and its channel affiliates across the nation.
Throughout the month of December, Concordia’s Christmas television special aired more than 450 times in different locations, according to Held. The show featured an extended variety of music beyond the school’s program shown at their live concert, which took place at Segerstrom on Dec. 5 this year.
Additional music featured on the TV program included country bluegrass compositions, pop, rock, and more in a series of music videos audio mixed by Steve Young, the school’s head of commercial music.
In addition to 26 airings across Southern California, the holiday program also played on CBS channels and affiliates in New York, Houston, Chicago, Nashville, and others.
“To go from not having a show to playing across the nation is outstanding,” Held told The Epoch Times.
Concordia’s next concert will be a free “Family Musical Encounters” performance, featuring the school’s wind orchestra, where music education students will conduct hands-on training for children in attendance for a portion of the show. The concert is set to take place Jan. 14, 2023.
