Feeling the spirit of Christmas through a screen

“A BYU-Idaho Christmas” is a concert produced each year by University Relations and the College of Performing and Visual Arts and performed in the BYU-Idaho Center. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s show is a collection of past Christmas performances streamed online for people to enjoy in their homes.

This year’s theme is “Let the Light In.” The show is just over an hour long.

The show can be streamed here from Dec. 12 to Jan. 2. Also on the website are recorded songs from the BYU-I music department, including “Gloria in Excelsis Deo,” “Deck the Halls,” “The First Noel,” “Come Unto Christ,” “Angels From the Realms of Glory” and “The Work of Christmas.”

“We had hoped to present a choir concert, which we did, live-streamed on Dec. 5,” said Randall Kempton, the director of choral activities and the conductor of the Collegiate Singers.

There were not many other options for this year’s “A BYU-Idaho Christmas,” and a live show wasn’t a possibility according to Kempton, so they opted for a show highlighting five years of guest artists in the I-Center.

“We were grateful to have this alternative available to us,” Kempton said.

Many people have watched and enjoyed “A BYU-Idaho Christmas” in previous years.

“This show has been tremendously popular and well-received every year, attended by between 9,000 and 15,000 people each year since 2013,” Kempton said.

Viewers will be able to learn what many choirs have had to go through this year because of COVID-19.

“We’ve included this year (a) short, original video footage to give some context to the show, including a short ‘virtual choir’ segment which demonstrates what many choirs are doing exclusively to sing this year,” Kempton explained.

COVID-19 restrictions did not stop the choirs at BYU-I from singing together.

Performances from multiple featured artists are included in the show, along with pieces from students and faculty.

“With this show collecting some of the best performances,” Kempton said. “It’s sure to be a great addition to your family Christmas observances this year.”

Featured artists include David Archuleta, Nathan Pacheco, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lexi Walker and Santino Fontana. The concert program with a detailed listing of all the featured performances can be downloaded as a PDF on the “A BYU-Idaho Christmas” website.

“In addition to our fabulous student and faculty performers, It will be well worth the hour to bring the Christmas spirit into your homes,” Kempton said.