Lights, instruments, elf ears, Santa hats and new Pierce College Music Department T-shirts for the Brahmas 75th anniversary.
All this and more can be expected at Pierce’s Holiday Choir Concert happening Dec. 16.
But as the Choir prepared for rehearsal on Wednesday, Associate Professor of Voice and Choir Music Garineh Avakian stressed to the students the importance of taking care of their health.
“If one person is out, it will make a huge difference in a choir setting,” Avakian said, who is also known as “Dr. Gaga.” “You want to put on a very impactful show on the 16th and I guarantee you, we will have a crowd.”
According to Avakian, holiday music is the theme for this concert and it will feature an array of music from different languages and cultures.
“We’re trying to do a bunch of different music that is usually performed or not during the holidays,” Avakian said. “It’s a concert that builds community and brings it together.”
This event will mark the first time that the Holiday Choir Concert will be held live at the Pierce College Performing Arts Building since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pierce soprano and music major Stephanie Keledjian feels concert preparations have gone well for the Choir.
“We’re getting very far and I really like Dr Gaga’s work with how well she is directing this choir,” Keledjian said. “I’m really excited for how the concert is gonna turn out.”
Keledjian said that she is most excited about the audience and the support they offer to the Choir.
“It’s where everyone can come together and appreciate the Christmas music and Hanukkah music as well that we have prepared for them and I’m just excited for them to hear it,” Keledjian said as she spoke about the event.
Music Department Chair Wendy Mazon said she has confidence in Avakian’s choir and also expects that attendees will be pleased.
“They’re going to go away smiling,” Mazon said.
While Mazon couldn’t answer specific questions about the holiday program lineup, she stated that because “of the quality of the choir, people that are going to this concert are going to really experience a wonderful and uplifting concert.”
In addition to choir music, the event will also feature students from the Pierce Jazz Band, Symphonic Band and Performance Workshop class.
Singers from El Camino Real Charter High School are also scheduled to make a special appearance at the event.
The concert will be held at the Performing Arts Building at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16. Tickets will be available for purchase on brownpapertickets.com or at the box office.
