MC Celebrates Festival of Lights Dec. 3-5
Mississippi College's Festival of Lights marks the annual celebration of music to welcome the start of the Christmas season on the Clinton campus.
Putting the MC Singers in the spotlight at Provine Chapel, the Dec. 3-5 productions are part of the series of concerts to pay tribute to Provine's 150th anniversary.
Tickets cost $10 to the general public. The price is $5 for students, whether they come from MC or other colleges and schools. The concert begins each evening at 7:30 p.m.
For more than two decades, the Festival of Lights has blended the voices of the 55-member MC Singers with faculty members at the Christian university. Performances will cover a range of musical selections, from seasonal favorites to Kenyan folk songs.
MC graduate student Ben Turner of Gulfport is eager to return to Provine Chapel for his sixth performance at the Festival of Lights. It all began when he was an MC freshman in 2004. The 23-year-old from the Gulf Coast sings baritone.
"Our Festival of Lights is a great way to showcase the holiday season," he said. Based on performances in recent years, Provine will be packed each night. "We have a great turnout each year."
Turner, who received a bachelor's degree from MC in 2009, is working on a master's degree in conducting. He's also serving as a graduate assistant to Music Department Chairman James Meaders, the university's choral director. The former Pearl resident plans to become a high school choral director after getting his degree in 2011.
People who go to the Festival of Lights don't want to miss a minute. The festivities begin with a dramatic candlelit procession into Provine Chapel. It concludes when the MC Singers exit the chapel in darkness with candles in hand. Meaders conducts the MC Singers.
There are other opportunities to celebrate Christmas at MC. On Dec. 1, the Winter Chorale Concert is booked in concert at Provine Chapel at 7:30 p.m. It combines the talents of the Women's Chamber, Men's Glee Club and the ensemble Mixed Company directed by professor Carol Joy Sparkman.
For those who want to see MC students and area children on stage, the MC Department of Communication presents "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at the Aven Little Theater.
Performances are set for Nov. 23-24, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1-2. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. Directed by MC professor Sandra Grayson, the production written by Barbara Robinson tells the hilarious story of how the world's worst children encounter the Christmas story. Tickets are $5 for general admission.
For details on the Festival of Lights, call the music department at 601.925.3440. For more information on the "Best Christmas Pageant Ever," contact the communication department at 601.925.3229.
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