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More than 1,000 guests are expected at Belhaven University in early December for one of the institution’s and the area’s most celebrated annual events, the “Singing Christmas Tree.”
Now in his 90th year, the musical event is scheduled for 7:30 pm on December 2 and 3 at the university’s Belhaven Bowl Stadium. If not the oldest Christmas event in the area, it surely is Jackson’s most unusual Christmas gathering.
The event features a 40-foot metal and wood tree structure with more than 100 men and women perched in its branches singing. The show will begin with a six-minute collage of favorite Christmas songs, including the ever-popular “Feliz Navidad,” first made popular in 1970 by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano. The LED lights will change color in various patterns and sequences with each different music selection.
But the 2022 tree will also offer more than just a traditional music and light show.
“Last year we reimagined what the Christmas Tree could be while keeping some of the original elements,” said Dr. Tim Walker, Director of Belhaven Choral Arts.
Noting that Belhaven is one of 35 nationally accredited colleges in all arts, Walker said the decision was made to add more theater elements to the program, involving both theater and dance students.
During this sequence, the choir will present their rendition of “The Prayer,” a song originally released in the 1990s by Canadian singer Celine Dion and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. The duo regained popularity in 2008 when Dion teamed up with Josh Groban for a new live version of the song.
The theatrical elements “add a whole other layer to the performance,” said David Sprayberry, Belhaven’s Director of Public Relations.
There will also be a special children’s choir performing “Silent Night.” The choir will be made up of students from St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, First Presbyterian Day School, Christ Covenant School and Madison Ridgeland Academy.
After the songs opening melody, the story of the birth of Jesus will be told through costumes and narration. From the back of the audience will appear the elders of the dance, dressed as angels with beautiful illuminated wings.
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A long standing tradition will be the presentation of “Oh, Holy Night”, with a specially selected soloist. This year’s soloist will be Emma Russell, a junior voice student who also teaches voice at St. Andrew’s.
Hailed as the first “Singing Christmas Tree” in the United States, the idea was originally the brainchild of former Belhaven choral instructor Mignonne Caldwell. In the 1930s, it was a tradition for Belhaven’s faculty, students, and administrators to gather for an annual dinner before leaving for Christmas vacation. The first singing tree was created as part of a 1933 closing dinner program. But Caldwell soon realized that the program would appeal to members of the community at large and in 1935 moved the program outdoors with CV McLain , a university engineer, building a special platform for the event.
The first mention of the tree in the Clarion Ledger came in 1937 when it was described as a gift from Belhaven to the people of Jackson. “The entire glee club is dressing in robes and holding small lights to form a giant tree for a Christmas carol show,” the article reported.
After Caldwell’s retirement in 1962, Henry Thomas Ford, Director of the Concert Choir, began directing the tree. Previously a women’s college, Belhaven had become co-educational, and Ford felt it was time to add men to the women’s choir. A taller tree frame was built to accommodate the new male vocals, and new selections including “We Three Kings” were performed for the first time. That first year, the men were required to wear green robes and sit along the base of the structure, while the women wore sequined white.
The late Bettye Quinn, a former Assistant Professor of Education and Head of Primary Education at Belhaven, has long been recognized as one of the event’s most knowledgeable historians, having attended more than 70 times, many as an interpreter.
“Initially, the tree was between the columns at the front of the campus, made up of 60 young women holding lights that reflected in the lagoon. It was really amazing for me as a kid to see that.” Quinn told the Clarion Ledger in 2014.
Belhaven graduate EC Harpe is another long-time associate of the Singing Christmas Tree, having attended for over 50 years, many times as a volunteer.
“I came to Belhaven as a student in the fall of 1968 and as a music student you were expected to be a part of the show. After that, I was able to be a part of putting it all together,” he said.
Harpe said that after all these years, the “Singing Christmas Tree” is still one of her favorite annual events. “I think of the performance as the official start of the Christmas season,” he said.
Admission is free. Entrance to campus will be from Peachtree Street, but parking is limited and people are encouraged to arrive about an hour early to avoid potential traffic delays.