♪ Ding dong merrily on high - [Announcer] Experience the magic of the season with the St.

Olaf Christmas Festival.

Since 1912, this cherished tradition has brought together renowned student choirs and orchestras.

(upbeat orchestra music) From beloved carols to inspiring new works, join us to celebrate the season.

(festive music) ♪ Amen (festive trumpet and bell music) - Hello, I'm Anton Armstrong.

Conductor of The St.

Olaf Choir and artistic director of The St.

Olaf Christmas Festival.

And it's my pleasure to welcome you to the 112th Christmas Festival at St.

Olaf.

Our theme this year is our hope for years to come.

When my colleagues and I were planning this festival, and we start early in the year, we did not know where our world might be come December.

There is conflict in the Middle East.

The tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

And even our own divisions in our country.

But this season always reminds us of the possibilities for the future.

That peace.

Goodwill to all.

Might actually find a place in our world.

And now we hope you enjoy the wonderful and stirring performances of our students at St.

Olaf College.

And the Christmas festival entitled, "Our Hope for Years to Come."

♪ Amen (gentle orchestra music) ♪ Climb to the top of the highest mountain ♪ ♪ Joyous tidings proclaim to the world ♪ ♪ Lift up your voice ♪ Shout the good news ♪ Behold your Lord comes to you ♪ ♪ Comes to you ♪ He will feed His flock like a shepherd ♪ ♪ He will carry the lambs in His arms ♪ ♪ He will ever keep them safe from harm ♪ ♪ Behold your Lord comes ♪ To you ♪ He who made the stars ♪ And the heavens ♪ He who fashioned the Earth and the sea ♪ ♪ From time eternal ♪ He was God ♪ The alpha and omega He ♪ Behold your Lord ♪ He will come ♪ In power and glory ♪ And he will rule with ♪ Mercy and truth ♪ Hope of the nations ♪ Light of all the world ♪ He will love the little children ♪ ♪ He will hold them ♪ In His arms ♪ Love Him and trust Him ♪ As a little child ♪ Behold ♪ Your Lord ♪ Comes to you ♪ Love Him ♪ As a child ♪ Trust him ♪ As a ♪ Child (dramatic violin music) (harmonizing) (choir singing in Norwegian) ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah (singing in foreign language) ♪ Hallelujah ♪ Hallelujah (singing in Norwegian) ♪ Hallelujah ♪ Hallelujah (dramatic violin music) (singing in Norwegian) ♪ Hallelujah ♪ Hallelujah (singing in Norwegian) ♪ Hallelujah ♪ Hallelujah (singing in Norwegian) (continues singing) (continues singing) ♪ Hallelujah ♪ Hallelujah (singing in Norwegian) (violin and cello playing) (gentle harpsichord and violin music) ♪ Noel ♪ Noel, noel ♪ Born is the King ♪ Noel ♪ The first Noel ♪ The angel did say ♪ Was to certain poor shepherds ♪ ♪ In fields as they lay ♪ In fields where they ♪ Lay keeping their sheep ♪ On a cold winter's night ♪ That was so deep ♪ Noel, Noel ♪ Noel, Noel ♪ Born is the King ♪ Of Israel (orchestral string music) ♪ They looked up ♪ And saw a star ♪ Shining in the east ♪ Beyond them far ♪ And to the Earth ♪ It gave great light ♪ And so it continued ♪ Both day and night ♪ Noel, Noel ♪ Noel, Noel ♪ Born is the King ♪ Of Israel ♪ Noel, Noel ♪ Noel, Noel ♪ Then let us all ♪ With one accord ♪ Sing praises to ♪ Our heavenly Lord ♪ That hath made Heaven ♪ And Earth of naught ♪ And with His blood ♪ Mankind hath bought ♪ Noel, Noel ♪ Noel, Noel ♪ Born is the King ♪ Noel, Noel ♪ Born is the King ♪ Noel ♪ Noel ♪ Noel ♪ Born is the King ♪ Noel ♪ Noel (upbeat violin music) (singing in Norwegian) (singing continues) ♪ I am so glad each Christmas Eve ♪ ♪ The night of Jesus' birth ♪ The star shone radiant as the sun ♪ ♪ And angels sang on Earth (gentle bell and harpsichord music) (vocal harmonizing) (choir sings in French) ♪ Angels called to shepherds ♪ Leave your flocks at rest ♪ Journey forth to Bethlehem ♪ Find the lamb so blessed ♪ Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel ♪ ♪ Sing we now of Christmas, sing we now Noel ♪ (sings in French) (singing continues) ♪ In Bethlehem they found him ♪ Joseph and Mary mild ♪ Seated by the manger ♪ Watching the holy child ♪ Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel ♪ ♪ Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel ♪ ♪ In Bethlehem they found him ♪ He, the holy child ♪ Seated by the manger ♪ Joseph and Mary mild (singing in French) (singing continues) ♪ Sing we now of Christmas ♪ Noel, sing we here ♪ Hear our grateful praises ♪ To the babe so dear ♪ Sing we Noel, the King is born, Noel ♪ ♪ Sing we now of Christmas, Noel, sing we here ♪ (sings in French) ♪ Noel ♪ Noel ♪ Noel ♪ Sing we now ♪ Noel ♪ Noel (piano music) ♪ Sleep ♪ Jesus ♪ Sleep ♪ Sleep, Jesus ♪ Sleep, Jesus ♪ Jesus, sleep ♪ Won't you sleep ♪ I will rock you 'til you're dreaming ♪ ♪ Sing to you 'til you're sleeping ♪ (choir sings in Ukrainian) ♪ Sleep, Jesus, sleep ♪ Sleep, my flower, sleep ♪ Rest your head for me ♪ Mary's arms will hold you closely ♪ ♪ Soothing you, she strokes so gently ♪ (sings in Ukranian) ♪ Sleep, Jesus, sleep ♪ Sleep, Jesus, sleep ♪ Open up your heart ♪ Let me rest my soul beside you ♪ ♪ Here on Earth and in Heaven too ♪ ♪ Sleep, Jesus, little one ♪ Sleep, sweetheart, sleep ♪ Sleep, Jesus, sleep ♪ Close your eyes ♪ Do not ask what life will do ♪ When a cross is made for you ♪ Hushabye, dearest, hushabye ♪ Sleep, Jesus, sleep ♪ Jesus, sleep ♪ Jesus ♪ Sleep ♪ O little town of Bethlehem ♪ How still we see thee lie ♪ Above thy deep ♪ And dreamless sleep ♪ The silent stars go by ♪ Yet in thy dark streets shineth ♪ ♪ The everlasting ♪ Light ♪ The hopes and fears ♪ Of all the years ♪ Are met in thee tonight ♪ *Oh holy child of Bethlehem ♪ Descend to us we pray ♪ Cast out our sins ♪ And enter in ♪ Be born in us today ♪ We hear the Christmas angels ♪ The great glad tidings tell ♪ Oh come to us ♪ Abide with us ♪ Our Lord Emmanuel ♪ Abide ♪ With us ♪ Our Lord Emmanuel ♪ Ding dong, merrily on high ♪ In Heaven the bells are ringing ♪ ♪ Ding dong, verily the sky ♪ Is riven with angel singing ♪ Gloria ♪ Hosannah in excelsis ♪ Ding dong, merrily on high ♪ In Heaven the bells are ringing ♪ ♪ Ding dong, verily the sky ♪ Is riven with angel singing ♪ Gloria ♪ Hosannah in excelsis ♪ Gloria ♪ Hosannah in excelsis ♪ Even so here below, below ♪ Let steeple bells be swungen ♪ And io, io, io ♪ By priest and people sungen ♪ Gloria ♪ Hosannah in excelsis ♪ Gloria ♪ Hosannah in excelsis ♪ Pray you, dutifully prime ♪ Your matin chime, ye ringers ♪ May ye beautifully rhyme ♪ Your evetime song, ye singers ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ Hosannah in excelsis ♪ Gloria ♪ Hosannah in excelsis (jazzy festive music) (saxophone solo) (music continues) (music continues) (trombone solo) (music continues) (trumpet solo) (music continues) (music continues) (music continues) ♪ Caroling, caroling, now we go ♪ ♪ Christmas bells are ringing ♪ Caroling, caroling, through the snow ♪ ♪ Christmas bells are ringing ♪ Joyous voices sweet and clear ♪ ♪ Sing the sad of heart to cheer ♪ ♪ Ding, dong, ding, dong ♪ Christmas bells are ringing, ringing, ringing ♪ ♪ Come in, come in, come in ♪ Ye carolers trudging around in the snow ♪ ♪ Come in, come in ♪ Sit by the fire and warm up your fingers and toes ♪ ♪ Come in, come in, come in, come in ♪ ♪ Ye carolers trudging around in the snow ♪ ♪ Ye carolers trudging around in the snow ♪ ♪ Ye carolers trudging around in the snow ♪ ♪ Ye carolers trudging around in the snow ♪ ♪ Come in, come in, come in ♪ Ye carolers trudging around in the snow ♪ ♪ Ye carolers trudging around in the snow ♪ ♪ Ye carolers trudging around in the snow ♪ ♪ Sit by the fire and warm up your fingers and toes ♪ ♪ Sit by the fire and warm up your fingers and toes ♪ ♪ Caroling, caroling, caroling, caroling ♪ ♪ Who are these that throng the way ♪ ♪ To Bethlehem, to Bethlehem ♪ And onward press ♪ In glad array ♪ All on a Christmas morning ♪ Oh they a vision fair would view ♪ ♪ Would find the beautiful ♪ And true ♪ And faith and hope and love ♪ Renew ♪ All on a Christmas morning (rhythmic drumming) ♪ Let's have a merry song tonight ♪ ♪ A jolly Christmas tune ♪ Stars are bright and hearts are light ♪ ♪ Beneath the Yuletide moon ♪ Noel, Noel, Noel ♪ Kindle the Yule log, hearts aglow ♪ ♪ And hang the holly wreath ♪ Hang also the mistletoe ♪ That I may stand beneath ♪ Noel, Noel, Noel ♪ Welcome the guest from far or near ♪ ♪ Who comes on Christmas Eve ♪ Such good cheer may find them here ♪ ♪ That they'll be loath to leave ♪ ♪ Noel, Noel, Noel ♪ Behind the clouds that ♪ Darken human life ♪ Forever shines ♪ The light of God ♪ And whensoever those clouds ♪ May go ♪ Dispelling the shadows in which we so ♪ ♪ Blindly grope ♪ Then is it indeed ♪ Hope ♪ Awake, awake ♪ Lift up your hearts downcast ♪ For sorrow shall transform ♪ At last ♪ And whensoever that light breaks through ♪ ♪ And we, in radiance, reflect ♪ A new world above ♪ Then is it indeed ♪ Love ♪ Ding, dong, dong ♪ Ding, dong, ding ♪ Hail, Christmas Day that brings the story ♪ ♪ Echoed forth from East to West ♪ ♪ Unto us God comes ♪ He comes in glory ♪ Hodie, Iesu Natus Est ♪ What does this birth to us betoken ♪ ♪ Can He save from fear and doom ♪ ♪ This have saints and prophets spoken ♪ ♪ Christus Redemptor Omnium ♪ Christus Redemptor Omnium ♪ So good people, let's be giving ♪ ♪ Praise and offerings profuse ♪ Unto Christ, the Lord of living ♪ ♪ Adeste Fidelis, gaudeamus ♪ Adeste Fidelis, gaudeamus ♪ Adeste Fidelis, gaudeamus ♪ Caroling, caroling, caroling, ding, dong ♪ ♪ Christmas bells are ringing (gentle piano music) (orchestral buildup) ♪ In the whispery winds of winter ♪ ♪ A seed of hope is born ♪ Soft chimes ring gently ♪ On this eve of Christmas ♪ Morn ♪ The winds of hope surround us ♪ ♪ Surround us ♪ There's a spring in the air (chimes ringing) ♪ In the still of night ♪ In the still of night ♪ We lift our voice in prayer (music continues) ♪ Our yearnings fills us with hope ♪ ♪ That war and pain will cease ♪ We pray for dawn of Christmas lights ♪ ♪ Our path to light ♪ And peace (dramatic orchestra music) ♪ Peace ♪ And love ♪ Peace and love ♪ The winds of hope are now ♪ Our breath ♪ The winds of hope are now ♪ Our breath ♪ They call us to proclaim ♪ The good, good news of great joy ♪ ♪ The news of comfort, peace, and love ♪ ♪ This wondrous Christmas Day ♪ The winds now strong and full of hope ♪ ♪ Are a gift from God above ♪ This Christmas and throughout the year ♪ ♪ Let's share abundant love ♪ The winds of hope are now our breath ♪ ♪ They call us to proclaim ♪ The news of comfort, peace, and love ♪ ♪ This wondrous Christmas Day ♪ The winds are blown and come to bring us ♪ ♪ Through the great and bright ♪ Let's live this hope with hearts and hands ♪ ♪ With Christmas joy so bright ♪ Christmas joy ♪ Christmas joy ♪ Joy so bright ♪ With Christmas joy so bright ♪ Now lift your voice in glorious song ♪ ♪ Sing peace, sing love to all ♪ Sing glad refrains and ring those bells ♪ ♪ Let joyful sounds enthrall ♪ Sing hope ♪ Sing love ♪ Sing joy ♪ Amen (bells ringing) (uplifting orchestra music) ♪ O God, our help in ages past ♪ Our hope for years to come ♪ Our shelter from the stormy blast ♪ ♪ And our eternal home ♪ Under the shadow of your throne ♪ ♪ Your saints have dwelt secure ♪ ♪ Sufficient is your arm alone ♪ And our defense is sure ♪ A thousand ages in your sight ♪ ♪ Are like an evening gone ♪ Short as the watch that ends the night ♪ ♪ Before the rising sun ♪ Time like an ever-rolling stream ♪ ♪ Soon bids the sun away ♪ They fly, forgotten, as a dream ♪ ♪ Dies at the opening day ♪ O yeaGod, our help in ages past ♪ ♪ Our hope for years to come ♪ Be thou our guard while troubles last ♪ ♪ And our eternal home ♪ Amen (gentle orchestra music) ♪ O holy night ♪ The stars are brightly shining ♪ ♪ It is the night of our dear ♪ Savior's birth ♪ Long lay the world in sin ♪ And error pining ♪ 'Til He appeared and the soul felt ♪ ♪ Its worth ♪ A thrill of hope the weary world ♪ ♪ Rejoices ♪ For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn ♪ ♪ Fall on your knees ♪ O hear ♪ The angel voices ♪ O night divine ♪ O night ♪ When Christ was born ♪ O night ♪ O night divine ♪ O night divine ♪ Truly He taught us to love ♪ One another ♪ His law is love and His gospel ♪ ♪ Is peace ♪ Chains shall He break, for the slave is ♪ ♪ Our brother ♪ And in His name all oppression shall cease ♪ ♪ Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus ♪ ♪ Raise we ♪ Let all within us praise ♪ His holy name ♪ Christ is the Lord ♪ O praise His name forever ♪ His power ♪ And glory ♪ Evermore proclaim ♪ His power and glory ♪ Evermore ♪ Proclaim ♪ Beautiful Savior ♪ Lord of the ♪ Nations ♪ Son of God ♪ And son ♪ Of man ♪ Glory ♪ And honor ♪ Praise, adoration ♪ Now and forevermore ♪ Now and forevermore ♪ Be Thine ♪ Now and forevermore ♪ Now and forevermore ♪ Be ♪ Thine (audience cheers and applauds) ♪ Yea, were every tree endowed with speech ♪ ♪ And every leaflet singing ♪ They never with praise His worth could reach ♪ ♪ Though Earth with their praise be ringing ♪ ♪ Who fully could praise the light of life ♪ ♪ Who light to our souls is bringing ♪ ♪ With joy we depart for the promised land ♪ ♪ With joy, we depart for the promised land ♪ ♪ With joy, we depart ♪ For the promised land