(woman) From Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis Minnesota, the University of St. Thomas presents "A St. Thomas Christmas, Reflections of Gratitude."

Funding is provided by,,, [orchestra plays in bright tone] ♪ ♪ ♪ (male narrator) At the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, the students in the musical ensembles have been preparing for their annual Christmas Concert.

(Dr. Matthew George) The St. Thomas Christmas Concert has really become the flagship event for the University.

It is the time where the community from St. Thomas and beyond comes together and celebrates the season and celebrates the absolute wonderful talent of our students.

It's an opportunity to celebrate.

It's also an opportunity for our students to celebrate a lot of hard work that they've done over many months (narrator) For the Christmas Concert students will get to perform on the stage of renowned Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis.

(Jacob Anderson) It's a completely surreal experience, and it's cool going from our little rehearsal space for choir into Orchestra Hall.

(Jennifer Flores-Valenzuela) I love being able to be challenged.

There's always that difficult piece that I have to be working on.

We practice pretty intensely, (narrator) St. Thomas is a liberal arts university where music is a tradition that hopes to inspire its students.

(Michael Zelinski) I like how it is a smaller department but with so much talent.

♪ It's very collaborative, and everyone wants everyone else to succeed, and I think that's what makes the Christmas Concert so special.

We have some commissioned pieces that are very exciting for this concert.

All of these pieces were composed by Jack Stamp who is an internationally-known composer.

He wrote a piece called "The Shepard's Faith."

It employs all forces that are on the stage, the Choirs, Wind Ensemble and the Orchestra.

it's a very splashy seasonal-feeling piece, but a celebration piece.

♪ And go!

(Rob Vischer) The Christmas Concert is one of the highlights of our year at St. Thomas.

One thing that COVID underscored is that we expect more from higher education than simply conveying knowledge through a computer screen.

So bringing students together from a whole bunch of academic disciplines to produce something uncannily beautiful for the Christmas season.

(narrator) The concert consists of 3 choirs, a String Orchestra, and a Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

The theme of this year's Christmas Concert is "Reflections of Gratitude."

(Azure Getzel) The reason I really love playing is because I feel like we're giving back-- a way of saying thank you to like our community and also just thank you to St. Thomas and like everyone who supported us.

[playing a bright fanfare] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (choirs and audience) ♪ Joy to the world ♪ The Lord is come; ♪ Let earth ♪ Receive ♪ Her King; ♪ Let ev'ry heart ♪ Prepare him room, ♪ And heav'n and nature sing, ♪ And heav'n and nature ♪ And heav'n and nature sing, ♪ ♪ And heav'n, ♪ And heav'n ♪ And nature sing.

[orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Joy to the world ♪ The Savior ♪ Reigns; ♪ And let ♪ Their songs ♪ Employ, ♪ While fields and floods ♪ Rocks hills and plains ♪ Repeat the sounding joy, ♪ Repeat the sounding joy, ♪ ♪ Repeat, repeat ♪ The sounding joy.

[orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ He rules the world, ♪ He rules with truth and grace, ♪ ♪ And makes ♪ The nations prove ♪ The glories of ♪ His righteousness.

♪ And wonders of his love, ♪ And wonders of his love, ♪ ♪ And wonders of his love ♪ And wonders ♪ And wonders ♪ Of his love.

♪ ♪ Joy to the world ♪ The Lord is come, ♪ ♪ The Lord is come, ♪ The Lord is come, ♪ Is come, ♪ The Lord the Lord is come, ♪ ♪ The Lord the Lord is come, ♪ The Lord is come, ♪ The Lord ♪ Is come, ♪ The Lord is ♪ Come!

♪ Come!

♪ Veni, veni, ♪ Emmanuel, ♪ Captivum solve ♪ Israel, ♪ Veni, veni ♪ Veni, veni ♪ Veni, veni Emmanuel ♪ Veni, veni, veni Emmanuel ♪ E Ro ♪ Cras!

♪ Veni, veni Emmanuel ♪ Veni, veni, veni, Captivum solve ♪ ♪ Israel, Veni, veni, veni ♪ ♪ Veni, veni, veni, veni ♪ Qui gemit in exsilio, ♪ Privatus Dei Filio.

♪ Veni, veni, veni, veni, ♪ Gaude!

Gaude!

Gaude!

♪ Emmanuel, ♪ Nascetur pro te Israel!

♪ Veni, veni, veni, veni, ♪ Veni, veni Rex Gentium, ♪ Veni Redemptor omnium, ♪ Omnium, ♪ Ut salvas tuos famulos, E Ro ♪ ♪ Cras!

♪ Peccati sibi conscios.

♪ Gaude!

♪ Gaude!

Gaude!

Gaude!

Emmanuel.

♪ ♪ Veni, veni, veni, veni, Nas cetur pro te Israel!

♪ ♪ Veni, veni, veni, ♪ ♪ Quis veniet, ♪ Quis veniet, ♪ Quis veniet.

♪ Quis veniet.

♪ E Ro ♪ Cras!

♪ E Ro ♪ Cras!

♪ Veni, veni, veni, veni, ♪ Veni, veni, veni, veni, veni, ♪ ♪ E Ro ♪ Cras!

♪ Veni, veni, veni, veni, ♪ Veni, veni, veni, veni, ♪ Gaude!

Gaude!

♪ Gaude!

Emmanuel.

♪ Nas cetur pro te ♪ Israel!

♪ Veni, veni, veni, veni, veni, ♪ ♪ O ♪ O ♪ Veni, veni, veni, ♪ Veni Emmanuel, ♪ E Ro ♪ Cras!

♪ Cras!

[playing in bright tone] [instruments only; no vocals] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [instruments only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [instruments only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [instruments only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [instruments only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [instruments only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [piano intro to "Away in a Manger"] ♪ ♪ Away in a manger, ♪ No crib for a bed, ♪ The little Lord Jesus ♪ Laid down His sweet head.

♪ The stars in the bright sky ♪ Looked down where he lay, ♪ The little Lord Jesus ♪ Asleep on the hay.

♪ ♪ The cattle are lowing; ♪ The baby awakes, ♪ The little Lord Jesus, ♪ No crying he makes.

♪ I love thee, Lord Jesus!

♪ Look down from the sky ♪ And stay by my cradle ♪ Till morning is nigh.

♪ Morning is nigh.

(solo) ♪ Be near me, Lord Jesus; ♪ I ask thee to stay ♪ Close by me forever, ♪ And love me, I pray.

(solo) ♪ Bless all the dear children ♪ In thy tender care, ♪ And take us to heaven ♪ To live with thee there, ♪ To live with thee there, ♪ To live with thee ♪ There.

♪ There.

[playing in spirited tempo] [orchestra only; no vocals] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Come to me ♪ In the silence ♪ Of the night; ♪ Come in the speaking silence, ♪ ♪ Come in the speaking ♪ Silence ♪ Of a dream; ♪ Of a ♪ Dream.

♪ Mmm mmm ♪ Come ♪ With soft ♪ Rounded cheeks ♪ And eyes as bright ♪ As sunlight, ♪ And eyes as bright as sunlight ♪ ♪ On a stream; ♪ Come back in tears, ♪ Come back in tears, ♪ O memory, ♪ Hope, ♪ Love of finished years.

(solo) ♪ Love (choir) ♪ Mmm ♪ O dream ♪ How sweet, ♪ Too sweet, ♪ Too bitter sweet, ♪ Whose wakening should have been ♪ ♪ In Paradise, ♪ In Paradise, ♪ Where souls ♪ Brimful of love, ♪ Where souls brimful of love ♪ ♪ Where souls ♪ Brimful of love ♪ Abide and meet; ♪ Where ♪ Thirsting longing eyes ♪ Watch ♪ The slow door ♪ That opening, ♪ Letting in ♪ Let's out no more, ♪ No more, ♪ No more, ♪ No more.

♪ Yet ♪ Come to me ♪ ♪ In dreams, ♪ That I may live ♪ My very life again ♪ Though cold in death; ♪ Come back to me ♪ In dreams, ♪ Come back to me ♪ In dreams, ♪ That I may give ♪ Pulse for pulse, ♪ Breath for breath: ♪ Speak low, ♪ Lean low, ♪ As long ago, ♪ My love, ♪ How long ago.

♪ My love.

♪ Mmm ♪ Come to me, ♪ Come to me, ♪ Come ♪ To ♪ Me.

♪ Gloria in excelsis Deo.

♪ Et in terra pax ♪ Hominibus bonae ♪ Voluntatis.

♪ Voluntatis.

♪ Voluntatis.

♪ ♪ ♪ Laudamus te, ♪ Benedicimus te, ♪ Adoramus, glorificamus, ♪ Adoramus te, ♪ Laudamus te, ♪ Benedicimus te, ♪ Adoramus te, ♪ Glorificamus te.

[orchestra only; no vocals] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Laudamus te, ♪ Benedicimus te, ♪ Adoramus, glorificamus, ♪ Adoramus te, ♪ Laudamus te, ♪ Benedicimus te, ♪ Adoramus te, glorificamus ♪ Te.

[orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Et in terra ♪ Pax ♪ Hominibus bonae ♪ Voluntatis.

♪ Et in terra ♪ Pax.

[orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Laudamus te, ♪ Benedicimus te, ♪ Adoramus, glorificamus, ♪ Adoramus te, ♪ Laudamus te, ♪ Benedicimus te, ♪ Adoramus te, glorificamus ♪ Te.

♪ ♪ ♪ Cum Sancto Spiritu ♪ In Gloria Dei Patris, ♪ Cum Sancto Spiritu ♪ In Gloria, ♪ In Gloria Dei ♪ Patris, ♪ Amen, amen, amen, amen, ♪ Amen, amen, amen, amen, ♪ ♪ Amen.

♪ Amen.

[playing melodically and reverently] [String Orchestra only; no vocals] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [String Orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [String Orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [String Orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Christus est natus ♪ Ex Maria ♪ Virgine gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Christus est natus ♪ Ex Maria ♪ Virgine: gaudete!

[percussion instruments play] [in syncopated rhythm] ♪ Gaudete, ♪ Gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, ♪ Gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete, gaudete!

Gaudete, gaudete, gaudete!

♪ ♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Oh, gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Oh, gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ ♪ Gaudete!

gaudete!

♪ ♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ ♪ Gaudete!

gaudete!

♪ ♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

Christus est natus ♪ ♪ Ex Maria Virgine: gaudete!

♪ ♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

Christus est natus ♪ ♪ Ex Maria Virgine: gaudete!

♪ Tempus adest gratiae, ♪ Gaudete, ♪ Hoc quod optabamus; ♪ Gaudete, ♪ Carmina laetitiae, gaudete!

♪ ♪ Devote reddamus.

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

Christus est natus ♪ ♪ Ex Maria Virgine: gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

Christus est natus ♪ ♪ Ex Maria Virgine: gaudete!

♪ Deus homo factus est, Natura mirante; ♪ ♪ Mundus renovatus est A Christo regnante.

♪ ♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

Christus est natus ♪ ♪ Ex Maria Virgine: gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

Christus est natus ♪ ♪ Ex Maria Virgine: gaudete!

♪ Ergo nostra ♪ Contio, ♪ Psallat iam in... ♪ Lustro; ♪ Benedicat Domino: ♪ Salus Regi nostro.

♪ Salus Regi nostro.

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ ♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, ♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, ♪ Gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

♪ Gaudete, ♪ Gaudete, gaudete!

Christus est natus!

♪ ♪ Ex Maria Virgine: ♪ ♪ Gaudete!

[harp solo] ♪ ♪ My shepherd ♪ Will supply my need; ♪ Jehovah ♪ Is his name; ♪ In pastures fresh ♪ He makes me feed, ♪ Beside the living ♪ Stream.

♪ He brings ♪ My wandering spirit back, ♪ When I forsake ♪ His ways, ♪ And leads me for ♪ His mercy's sake, ♪ In paths of truth ♪ And grace.

♪ ♪ ♪ When I walk through ♪ The shades of death, ♪ Thy presence ♪ Is my stay; ♪ One word ♪ Of thy supporting breath ♪ Drives all my fears away.

♪ Thy hand, in sight ♪ Of all my foes, ♪ Doth still my table spread; ♪ My cup with blessings ♪ Overflows, ♪ Thine oil ♪ Anoints my head.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The sure provisions ♪ Of my God ♪ Attend me all my days, ♪ All my days; ♪ Oh may thy house ♪ Be mine abode ♪ And all my work, ♪ All my work be praise!

♪ There would I find ♪ A settled rest ♪ While others go ♪ And come, ♪ No more a stranger, ♪ Nor a guest; ♪ But like a child ♪ At home.

♪ No more a stranger, ♪ Nor a guest; ♪ But like a child at, ♪ But like a child at, ♪ No more a stranger, ♪ Nor a guest; ♪ But like a child at ♪ Home.

♪ Home.

♪ Home.

♪ Home.

♪ Home.

[playing in spirited tempo] [instruments only; no vocals] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [instruments only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [instruments only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [instruments only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ What means this glory 'round our feet ♪ ♪ The Magi mused, "More bright that morn?"

♪ ♪ And voices chanted clear and sweet ♪ ♪ "Today the Prince of Peace is born!"

♪ [orchestra only] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ "What means that star" the Shepherds said ♪ ♪ That brightens through the rocky glen" ♪ ♪ And angels answering over head ♪ ♪ Said "Peace on earth, good will to men" ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 'Tis eighteen hundred years and more ♪ ♪ Since those sweet oracles were dumb ♪ ♪ We wait for him like them of yore; ♪ ♪ Alas, He seems so slow to come.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ So shall we learn ♪ To understand ♪ The simple faith of shepherds then ♪ ♪ And clasping kindly our hand in hand; ♪ ♪ Sing "Peace on earth, ♪ "Good will to men!"

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ As shadows cast by cloud and sun, ♪ ♪ Flit o'er the summer grass ♪ O in Thy sight, Almighty One!

♪ ♪ Earth's generations pass.

♪ And while the years, an endless host, ♪ ♪ Come pressing swiftly on, ♪ The brightest names that earth can boast ♪ ♪ Just glisten and are gone.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yet doth the star of Bethlehem, ♪ ♪ Shed lustre pure and sweet; ♪ And still it leads, as once it led, ♪ ♪ To the Messiah's feet.

♪ O Father, may that holy star ♪ ♪ Grow every year so bright, ♪ And send its glorious beams afar ♪ ♪ To fill the world with Light!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ So shall we learn to understand ♪ ♪ The simple faith of shepherds then ♪ ♪ And clasping kindly ♪ Our hand in hand; ♪ Sing, "Peace on earth, ♪ Good will to men!

♪ Amen!

♪ Amen!

♪ ♪ ♪ (choirs & audience) ♪ Angels we have heard on high ♪ ♪ Sweetly singing o'er the plains, ♪ ♪ And the mountains in reply ♪ ♪ Echoing their joyous strains.

♪ ♪ Glo-o-o-o-o-o o-o-o-o-o ♪ ♪ O-o-o-o-o-ria!

♪ In excelsis Deo ♪ Glo-o-o-o-o-o o-o-o-o-o O-o-o-o-o-ria!

♪ ♪ In excelsis Deo ♪ ♪ ♪ Shepherds, why this jubilee?

♪ ♪ Why your joyous strains prolong?

♪ ♪ What the gladsome tidings be ♪ ♪ Which inspire your heavenly song?

♪ ♪ Glo-o o-o-o-o-o-o ♪ O-o-o-o-o-o o-o-o-o-o-ria!

♪ ♪ In excelsis Deo!

♪ Glo o-o-o-o-o ♪ O-o-o-o-o o-o-o-o-o-ria!

♪ ♪ In excelsis Deo!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Come to Bethlehem and see ♪ Him whose birth the angels sing; ♪ ♪ Come adore on bended knee, ♪ ♪ Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Glo-o-o o-o-o-o-o ♪ O-o-o-o-o o-o-o-o-o-ria!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ See Him in a manger laid ♪ Jesus, Lord of heav'n and earth; ♪ ♪ Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, ♪ With us sing our Savior's birth.

♪ ♪ Glo o-o-o-o-o ♪ O-o-o-o-o ♪ ♪ O-o-o-o-o-ria ♪ ♪ In excelsis Deo!

♪ Glo o-o-o-o-o ♪ O-o-o-o-o ♪ ♪ O-o-o-o-o-ria!

♪ ♪ In excelsis ♪ Deo!

♪ ♪ ♪ In excelsis Deo!

♪ In excelsis Deo!

♪ ♪ Gloria!

[applause & cheers] (woman) Funding for "A St. Thomas Christmas Reflections of Gratitude."

is provided by... [applause, loud cheers & whistles] Captioning: Armour Captioning & TPT