JACKSON, Miss. – Last year’s broadcast of Mississippi College’s Festival of Lights annual concert earned Mississippi Public Broadcasting one of five Southeast Emmy Awards. For the second consecutive year, MPB will treat audiences to the program premiering at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 on MPB Television.
Encore presentations of “Festival of Lights 2017” will air at 9 p.m. Dec. 22, 4 p.m. Dec. 24, and 5 p.m. Dec. 25.
The 55-member Mississippi College Singers along with more than 30 MC faculty and staff members present a program of music and scripture readings chronicling the birth of Jesus Christ in the English tradition of Lessons and Carols. The concert ends with the choir leaving the historic Provine Chapel on campus by candlelight singing “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.”
“Last year's broadcast was incredible. I forced my entire family to sit and watch it on Christmas Eve even though they all came to live performances,” said Sarah Brantley, 21, an MC senior music/voice major. “The MPB crew made new, cool changes while filming this year, and I'm so excited to see how they create something even more awe-inspiring.”
MPB’s Taiwo Gaynor is the producer of “Festival of Lights 2017.”
“It has been such an honor to work with Mississippi College for their Festival of Lights program. The choir sounds absolutely magnificent,” Gaynor said. “We took a simple approach to capturing the program and strategically placed mics out of sight of cameras and let the choir make magic with their voices.”
Conducted by music professor Mark Nabholz, the MC Singers have entertained audiences at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. The talented group has also traveled to performance halls in Europe and South Africa.
Following this year’s concert, the MC Singers will return to Europe to perform in Vienna, Prague and Budapest from Dec. 27 to Jan. 6.
Festival of Lights began at MC in December 1986. The concerts help usher in the Christmas season. MC Singers presented this year’s program to audiences Nov. 30, and Dec. 1-2.
“Working with MPB, MC Singers get to share our endless amount of hard work to more than just the people sitting in Provine Chapel,” Brantley said. “We've been given the opportunity to share our God-given gifts while spreading the news of Christ to anyone watching the broadcast, which is just so amazing.”
For more information regarding MPB, visit www.mpbonline.org.
