By Mark Ambrogi
The Carmel High School Ambassadors and Accents show choirs will experience a first this month.
The choirs have been chosen to sing as part of Disney World’s renowned annual Candlelight Processional in the American Gardens Theater at Epcot theme park in Orlando. The processional features special guests who tell the Biblical tale of Christmas interwoven with choral and orchestral music.
“This is an amazing opportunity to perform alongside the Disney professional chorus and the Voices of Liberty, while being accompanied by the professional Disney orchestra,” said Kathrine Kouns, CHS choral director. “It is a massive ensemble effort, and it will really help our students to understand how to elevate their performances to a professional level.”
The choirs will join the Candlelight Processional choir Dec. 17 for two shows, with actor Joe Morton serving as guest narrator. The students will fly to Orlando Dec. 16 and return Dec. 20. Kouns said the choirs submitted a recording in the spring and were chosen in April.
“There is a standard program of traditional Christmas literature performed at this show each year,” Kouns said. “We were sent the music that we have to learn as well as all musical notes and details.”
Kouns said they will sing traditional carols such as “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Joy To The World.” The choirs have been practicing the 15 songs for several weeks in arrangements provided by Disney.
“It’s just an amazing opportunity that both groups get to go down there,” said senior Betsy Sandifer, an Accents member. “We’re very fortunate.”
Sandifer said it has been a lot of hard work preparing for the Processional as well as preparing for Holiday Spectacular, which was held Nov. 30-Dec. 4. The choirs also have been preparing for the upcoming show choir competition season.
“We’re all working together and we all have the common goal of wanting to go to Disney and be great,” Sandifer said.
After the performances, the choirs will have two days to enjoy the Disney World’s various theme parks.
“I feel those two days will be a great reward for how hard we’ve been working,” Sandifer said.
