- [Announcer] Funding for this program is provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

(inquisitive music) (spirited music) (spirited music continues) (spirited music continues) (audience applauds) ♪ O Radiant Dawn ♪ ♪ O Radiant Dawn ♪ ♪ O Radiant Dawn ♪ ♪ Splendor of eternal light ♪ ♪ Sun of justice ♪ ♪ Sun of justice ♪ ♪ Sun of justice ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Shine on those who dwell in darkness ♪ ♪ And the shadow of death ♪ ♪ Isaiah had prophesied ♪ ♪ The people ♪ ♪ Who walked ♪ ♪ In darkness ♪ ♪ Have seen a great light ♪ ♪ Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom ♪ ♪ A light ♪ ♪ Has shone ♪ ♪ O Radiant Dawn ♪ ♪ O Radiant Dawn ♪ ♪ O Radiant Dawn ♪ ♪ Splendor of eternal light ♪ ♪ Sun of justice ♪ ♪ Sun of justice ♪ ♪ Sun of justice ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Come ♪ ♪ Shine on those who dwell in darkness ♪ ♪ And the shadow of death ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ (choir harmonizes) - This is "Christmas at Assisi 2025: O Radiant Dawn."

The next piece is "Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow," an African American spiritual arranged by the famed Lutheran chorale conductor, Paul Chris Johnson, and this spiritual is just very sweet, and we aim to kind of fuse these two traditions between the African American tradition as well as the Lutheran chorale tradition, sort of bringing this soul and vibrancy of the Black music culture into this very pristine, very clear, placid sound that the Lutheran chorale tradition is well known for.

♪ There's a star in the east on Christmas morn ♪ ♪ There's a star in the east on Christmas morn ♪ ♪ Oh, rise up, shepherd, and follow ♪ ♪ It will lead to the place ♪ ♪ Where the Savior is born ♪ ♪ Rise up, shepherd, and follow ♪ ♪ Follow ♪ ♪ Oh, oh ♪ ♪ Rise up, shepherd ♪ ♪ And follow ♪ ♪ Follow ♪ ♪ Leave your sheep and leave your lambs ♪ ♪ Rise up, shepherd, and follow ♪ ♪ Follow ♪ ♪ Leave your sheep and leave your lambs ♪ ♪ Rise up, shepherd, and follow ♪ ♪ Follow ♪ ♪ Follow ♪ ♪ Follow ♪ ♪ Rise up, shepherd, and follow ♪ ♪ Oh, rise up and follow the star ♪ ♪ Oh, follow the star ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Follow the star of Bethlehem ♪ ♪ There's a star in the east on Christmas morn ♪ ♪ Follow, follow ♪ ♪ Follow the star ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Rise up, shepherd ♪ ♪ And follow ♪ ♪ Follow ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Rise up, shepherd ♪ ♪ And follow ♪ ♪ Follow ♪ (choir harmonizes) - Our next piece is "So Breaks the Sun" by Shavon Lloyd.

This was Shavon's breakout piece in 2018.

He's a new composer from Upstate New York, and this piece is, it pairs with a beautiful text by Renaissance poet, Ben Jonson, and it's all about how the sun breaks through the ice and that symbolizes the nativity and Jesus' coming.

And so his piece, it beautifully captures this really evocative text by Ben Jonson, and you'll notice his use of texture changing, rhythmic polyrhythms lining up that are all different and that create this beautiful effect of winter kind of going away and being banished by the light of the sun.

♪ Oh ♪ ♪ The night is dark ♪ ♪ And old ♪ ♪ The earth is fettered ♪ ♪ With snow ♪ ♪ And the chill ♪ ♪ Of the air ♪ ♪ Confines me ♪ ♪ To sorrow ♪ ♪ To sorrow ♪ ♪ To sorrow ♪ ♪ To ♪ ♪ Sorrow ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ Breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks ♪ ♪ The sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ Earth's rugged chains ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ Wherein rude winter bounds her veins ♪ ♪ Wherein rude winter bounds her veins ♪ ♪ Wherein rude winter ♪ ♪ Winter ♪ ♪ Winter ♪ ♪ Bounds her ♪ ♪ Veins ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So grows both stream ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ And source of price ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So grows both stream ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ And source of price ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ That lately ♪ ♪ That lately ♪ ♪ Fettered ♪ ♪ Fettered ♪ ♪ With ♪ ♪ Ice ♪ ♪ So naked trees ♪ ♪ Get crisped heads ♪ ♪ And colored coats ♪ ♪ The roughest meads ♪ ♪ And all get vigor ♪ ♪ Youth and spright ♪ ♪ That are looked on ♪ ♪ That are ♪ ♪ That are ♪ ♪ By his light ♪ ♪ That are looked ♪ ♪ That are ♪ ♪ By his light ♪ ♪ That are looked ♪ ♪ By his light ♪ ♪ Looked on ♪ ♪ By ♪ ♪ By ♪ ♪ His ♪ ♪ Light ♪ ♪ By ♪ ♪ His ♪ ♪ Light ♪ ♪ By ♪ ♪ His ♪ ♪ Light ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun ♪ ♪ The sun ♪ ♪ Ah, ah ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ So breaks the sun, so breaks the sun ♪ ♪ The ♪ ♪ Sun ♪ - The next piece is "Goodwill to Men & Peace on Earth" by Dobrinka Tabakova.

Dobrinka Tabakova is a Bulgarian British composer who has won many awards for her string and choral writing in the last 10 years.

This piece is a new piece in the last few years, commissioned by the BBC singers from Great Britain, and I just, I loved it so much.

It has this ancient pulsing energy to it.

It sounds like it could have been written in either the year 1350 or the year 2025, both at the same time.

And I loved it so much that I needed to program it, but it wasn't gonna fit for our mixed ensemble, so I decided to arrange it for our treble singers, and I think that everyone will really love this new piece, "Goodwill on Earth & Peace to Men."

♪ Behold a lucid light appears ♪ ♪ Which brightens all the eastern sky ♪ ♪ Hark, hark ♪ ♪ What sounds salute our ears ♪ ♪ All glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Goodwill to men and peace on earth ♪ ♪ The heavenly choirs united cry ♪ ♪ At the Divine Redeemer's birth ♪ ♪ And glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Goodwill to men and peace on earth ♪ ♪ The heavenly choirs united cry ♪ ♪ At the Divine Redeemer's birth ♪ ♪ And glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Behold a lucid light appears ♪ ♪ Which brightens all the eastern sky ♪ ♪ Hark, hark ♪ ♪ What sounds salute our ears ♪ ♪ All glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Behold a lucid light appears ♪ ♪ Which brightens all the eastern sky ♪ ♪ Hark, hark ♪ ♪ What sounds salute our ears ♪ ♪ All glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Goodwill to men and peace on earth ♪ ♪ The heavenly choirs united cry ♪ ♪ At the Divine Redeemer's birth ♪ ♪ And glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Let mortals catch the sacred flame ♪ ♪ Till round the world the son shall fly ♪ ♪ Which sounds the Great Redeemer's name ♪ ♪ And glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Goodwill to men and peace on earth ♪ ♪ The heavenly choirs united cry ♪ ♪ At the Divine Redeemer's birth ♪ ♪ And glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Behold a lucid light appears ♪ ♪ Which brightens all the eastern sky ♪ ♪ Hark, hark ♪ ♪ What sounds salute our ears ♪ ♪ All glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Behold a lucid light appears ♪ ♪ Which brightens all the eastern sky ♪ ♪ Hark, hark ♪ ♪ What sounds salute our ears ♪ ♪ All glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Goodwill to men and peace on earth ♪ ♪ The heavenly choirs united cry ♪ ♪ At the Divine Redeemer's birth ♪ ♪ And glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Let mortals catch the sacred flame ♪ ♪ Till round the world the son shall fly ♪ ♪ Which sounds the Great Redeemer's name ♪ ♪ And glory give to God on high ♪ ♪ Goodwill to men and peace on earth ♪ ♪ The heavenly choirs united cry ♪ ♪ At the Divine Redeemer's birth ♪ ♪ And glory give to God on high ♪ (tambourine jingles) - The next two selections will be performed as a set, the first by Errollyn Wallen and the second by John Rudder.

The first is "Peace on Earth," a really unique atmospheric piece that, that has become very popular in the last two or three years.

It was premiered by the Oxford, one of the Oxford boys choirs, and it just has this twinkling, kind of eerie, magical feeling coming from the organ sung with a beautiful, beautiful, very simple melody with no harmony.

All a single melody, first a soloist, then the choir, that sort of begs the question, do we have peace on earth?

I think the answer lies in kind of the nebulousness of this piece, and it's a question that we're all seeking answers for.

Following that, we have a piece that has a little more of a clear answer.

It's Rudder's "Candlelight Carol."

Set in the same key as the Wallen, we'll head right into this very well known "Candlelight Carol" from the late '80s, composed by John Rudder, perhaps the most performed choral composer of the entire world.

This piece is like a warm blanket or a hug that leaves no chance, no choice but to feel hopeful.

(gentle music) ♪ And snow falls down on me ♪ ♪ Peace on earth ♪ ♪ The night is dark and soft ♪ ♪ Peace on earth ♪ ♪ The lights that sparkle ♪ ♪ In the square ♪ ♪ The smoke that lingers ♪ ♪ In the air ♪ ♪ Peace on earth ♪ (gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) ♪ And grace falls down on me ♪ ♪ Peace on earth ♪ ♪ The dark will turn aside ♪ ♪ Peace on earth ♪ ♪ The fires that burn ♪ ♪ In every hearth ♪ ♪ Do sing our praise ♪ ♪ Of Christmas past ♪ ♪ Peace on earth ♪ (gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) ♪ Ah, ah ♪ ♪ Ah, ah ♪ ♪ Hear ♪ ♪ Them ♪ ♪ Singing ♪ ♪ Peace ♪ ♪ On ♪ ♪ Earth ♪ (gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music ends) (relaxed music) (relaxed music continues) ♪ How do you capture ♪ ♪ The wind on the water ♪ ♪ How do you count ♪ ♪ All the stars in the sky ♪ ♪ How can you measure ♪ ♪ The love of a mother ♪ ♪ Or how can you write down ♪ ♪ A baby's first cry ♪ ♪ Candlelight ♪ ♪ Angel light ♪ ♪ Angel light ♪ ♪ Firelight and star glow ♪ ♪ Shine on his cradle ♪ ♪ Till breaking of dawn ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ In Excelsis Deo ♪ ♪ Angels are singing ♪ ♪ The Christ child is born ♪ (relaxed music) (relaxed music continues) ♪ Shepherds and wise men ♪ ♪ Will kneel and adore him ♪ ♪ Seraphim 'round him ♪ ♪ Their vigil will keep ♪ ♪ Nations proclaim him ♪ ♪ Their Lord and their Savior ♪ ♪ But Mary will hold him ♪ ♪ And sing him to sleep ♪ ♪ Candlelight ♪ ♪ Angel light ♪ ♪ Angel light ♪ ♪ Firelight and star glow ♪ ♪ Shine on his cradle ♪ ♪ Till breaking of dawn ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ In Excelsis Deo ♪ ♪ Angels are singing ♪ ♪ The Christ child is born ♪ (relaxed music) ♪ Find him at Bethlehem ♪ ♪ Laid in a manger ♪ ♪ Christ our Redeemer asleep in the hay ♪ ♪ Godhead incarnate ♪ ♪ And hope of salvation ♪ ♪ A child with his mother ♪ ♪ That first Christmas Day ♪ ♪ Candlelight ♪ ♪ Angel light ♪ ♪ Firelight and star glow ♪ ♪ Shine on his cradle ♪ ♪ Till breaking of dawn ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ Gloria ♪ ♪ In Excelsis Deo ♪ ♪ Angels are singing ♪ ♪ The Christ child is born ♪ (relaxed music) - We start the second half with the concert choir, the 10th through 12th graders from the Honors Choirs of Southeast Minnesota.

My other employer.

We are a sister organization of Choral Arts and we always collaborate on this Christmas at Assisi concert.

They'll be starting with the tenor basses only singing "Brightest and Best."

A beloved tune from southern harmony, an early hymnal that's in the shape-note style or that sacred harp style, which is very bright, brassy singing, and they were known for reading this shape-note notation that was different than our typical, the notes and rhythms you see on the page that we're used to.

It actually had triangles and squares and diamonds as the note heads and this was how they learned to read their music, and so it didn't last, but it's a big part of our tradition and our history in the United States in music education, and this really lively, raucous tune will be a great way to open up the second half.

This is "Brightest and Best," arranged by Shawn Kirchner.

(lively music) (lively music continues) ♪ Hail the bless'd morn, see the great mediator ♪ ♪ Down from the regions of glory descend ♪ ♪ Shepherds, go worship the babe in the manger ♪ ♪ Lo, for his guard the bright angels attend ♪ ♪ Brightest and best of the stars of the morning ♪ ♪ Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid ♪ ♪ Star in the east, the horizon adorning ♪ ♪ Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid ♪ ♪ Cold on his cradle ♪ ♪ The dewdrops are shining ♪ ♪ Low lies his bed ♪ ♪ With the beasts of the stall ♪ ♪ Angels adore him in slumber reclining ♪ ♪ Maker and Monarch, and Savior of all ♪ ♪ Brightest and best of the stars of the morning ♪ ♪ Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid ♪ ♪ Star in the east, the horizon adorning ♪ ♪ Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid ♪ (thrilling music) ♪ Shall we not yield him in costly devotion ♪ ♪ Odors of Edom and off'rings divine ♪ ♪ Gems of the mountains and pearls of the ocean ♪ ♪ Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine ♪ ♪ Brightest and best of the stars of the morning ♪ ♪ Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid ♪ ♪ Star in the east, the horizon adorning ♪ ♪ Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid ♪ ♪ Brightest and best of the stars of the morning ♪ ♪ Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid ♪ ♪ Star in the east, the horizon adorning ♪ ♪ Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid ♪ - The next piece is "Locus Iste" by Anton Bruckner.

This piece was premiered in the Linz Cathedral in 1869 and we are so lucky at Honors Choirs to be able to tour to Austria and Germany this June, and we will actually get to perform this piece in the cathedral where it was premiered.

It is one of the most common and often performed motets because of its combination of Renaissance clarity as well as the romantic harmonies that started to take hold at that time.

This is "Locus Iste" by Anton Bruckner.

(choir sings in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) (choir continues singing in Latin) - "O Holy Night" is one of the most popular Christmas hymns of all time, usually sung as a solo because it's so direct and enjoyable.

The melody, it just, it goes right to the heart and is often cited as individuals' favorite hymn.

Therefore, there's not too many arrangements of this for choir because it's so beloved, and oftentimes choral composers sort of shy away from it in wanting to make sure that they do it justice.

♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ O holy night ♪ ♪ The stars are brightly shining ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ It is the night ♪ ♪ Of our dear Savior's birth ♪ ♪ Long lay the world ♪ ♪ In sin and error pining ♪ ♪ Till he appears and the soul felt its worth ♪ ♪ O holy ♪ ♪ A thrill of hope ♪ ♪ The weary world rejoices ♪ ♪ For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn ♪ ♪ O fall ♪ ♪ Fall ♪ ♪ On your knees ♪ ♪ O hear the angel voices ♪ ♪ Angel voices ♪ ♪ O night divine ♪ ♪ O night divine ♪ ♪ O night ♪ ♪ When Christ was born ♪ ♪ When Christ was born ♪ ♪ O night ♪ ♪ Divine ♪ ♪ O night ♪ ♪ O night divine ♪ ♪ O holy night divine ♪ ♪ O holy night ♪ ♪ O night divine ♪ ♪ Divine ♪ ♪ Led by the light ♪ ♪ Of faith serenely beaming ♪ ♪ With glowing hearts ♪ ♪ By his cradle, we stand ♪ ♪ By his cradle, we stand ♪ ♪ Led by light ♪ ♪ Of a star sweetly gleaming ♪ ♪ Here come the wise men from the orient land ♪ ♪ The King of Kings ♪ ♪ Lay thus in lowly manger ♪ ♪ In all our trials ♪ ♪ Born to be our friend ♪ ♪ He ♪ ♪ Knows our need ♪ ♪ He knows ♪ ♪ Our weakness is no stranger ♪ ♪ Behold your King ♪ ♪ Before him ♪ ♪ Lowly bend ♪ ♪ Behold ♪ ♪ Your King ♪ ♪ Before him ♪ ♪ Lowly bend ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ O holy night ♪ ♪ O holy night ♪ ♪ O holy night ♪ ♪ O holy night ♪ ♪ O holy night ♪ ♪ Divine ♪ ♪ O fall ♪ ♪ On your knees ♪ ♪ O fall on your knees ♪ ♪ Fall on your knees ♪ ♪ Hear the angel voices ♪ ♪ O night divine ♪ ♪ O night ♪ ♪ Holy night ♪ ♪ When Christ was born ♪ ♪ O holy night ♪ ♪ O night divine ♪ ♪ O holy night ♪ ♪ O night ♪ (choir harmonizes) ♪ O night divine ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Night ♪ ♪ O ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Night ♪ ♪ O ♪ ♪ Divine ♪ (choir harmonizes) - The last piece sung by the Choral Arts Ensemble by ourselves this evening is "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" by Dolly Parton, arranged by Craig Hella Johnson.

Whether you're a religious person or not, the symbolism, the imagery of light, it means hope.

Dolly Parton knew this and this beautiful direct arrangement by Craig Hella Johnson really brings out that hopeful spirit.

The solo that we feature is Janette Davis and she just does such a lovely job of singing right to the heart, and the choir just provides this beautiful background and a little bit of support and warmth to really envelop the audience in this amazing country tune, "Light of a Clear Blue Morning."

Enjoy.

(sentimental music) (sentimental music continues) (sentimental music continues) (sentimental music continues) (sentimental music continues) ♪ It's been a long, dark night ♪ ♪ I've been waiting for the morning ♪ ♪ It's been a long, hard fight ♪ ♪ I see a brand-new day a-dawning ♪ ♪ I've been looking for the sunshine ♪ ♪ 'Cause I ain't seen it in so long ♪ ♪ Everything's gonna work out fine ♪ ♪ Everything's gonna be all right ♪ ♪ It's gonna be okay ♪ ♪ I can see the light of a clear blue morning ♪ ♪ I can see the light of a brand-new day ♪ ♪ I can see the light of a clear blue morning ♪ ♪ Everything's gonna be all right ♪ ♪ It's gonna be okay ♪ ♪ I can see the light ♪ ♪ See the light ♪ ♪ Brand-New ♪ ♪ Day ♪ ♪ Clear blue morning ♪ ♪ Clear blue morning ♪ ♪ Clear blue morning ♪ ♪ Morning ♪ ♪ Clear blue morning ♪ ♪ Morning ♪ ♪ Light of a clear blue ♪ ♪ Light of a clear blue ♪ ♪ Light of a clear blue ♪ ♪ Morning light ♪ ♪ Light of a clear blue ♪ ♪ Morning light ♪ ♪ Light of a clear blue ♪ ♪ See the light ♪ ♪ Light of a clear blue ♪ ♪ See the light ♪ ♪ I can see the light of a clear blue morning ♪ ♪ Light of a clear blue ♪ ♪ See the light ♪ ♪ I can see the light ♪ ♪ See the light ♪ ♪ Of a clear blue morning ♪ ♪ See the light ♪ ♪ I can see the light ♪ ♪ See the light ♪ ♪ Of a clear blue morning ♪ ♪ See the light ♪ ♪ Of a clear blue ♪ ♪ Clear blue morn ♪ ♪ I can see the light ♪ ♪ Clear blue morn ♪ ♪ I can see the light ♪ ♪ Blue ♪ ♪ Blue morning ♪ ♪ Blue ♪ ♪ Morning blue ♪ (choir harmonizes) - And as has been sung for most of our 40 years, this is Rick Kvam's elegant arrangement of "Stille Nacht," German for "Silent Night."

(choir sings in German) (choir continues singing in German) (choir continues singing in German) (choir continues singing in German) (choir continues singing in German) (choir continues singing in German) (choir continues singing in German) (choir continues singing in German) (choir continues singing in German) (choir continues singing in German) (choir continues singing in German) (choir continues singing in German) ♪ Silent night ♪ ♪ Holy night ♪ ♪ All is calm ♪ ♪ All is bright ♪ ♪ Round yon Virgin ♪ ♪ Mother and Child ♪ ♪ Holy infant ♪ ♪ So tender and mild ♪ ♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪ ♪ Peace ♪ ♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪ ♪ Peace ♪ (inquisitive music) - [Announcer] Funding for this program is provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.