The Nicholls Concert Choir and the Nicholls Chamber Singers are preparing for their upcoming holiday concerts.
The concert choir is holding their annual Candlelight Christmas Concert on Tuesday Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Houma, Louisiana. Admission is free, and the concert is open to the public.

“The featured work is a piece by Jackson Berkey called The Glory of His Majesty,” Kenneth Klaus, choir director and professor of music, said.

The piece is a Christmas cantata. Cantatas are multi-movement musical pieces that often tell the story of what is happening in Christ’s life.

Berkey, in addition to being a composer and concert pianist, is the keyboard artist with the musical group Mannheim Steamroller, which is known especially for their Christmas music.

The choir, which is made up of voice and music students as well as students from different areas of study, will also sing some more traditional songs such as Silent Night and Away in a Manger.

According to Klaus, “The Colors of Christmas,” the twenty-eighth edition of the Nicholls Chamber Singer’s Christmas Dinner Series is expected to be a night of music, fine food, entertainment and fun.

This event will include a multi-course meal and great music, according to Klaus. The event will take place on Friday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Bollinger Memorial Student Union Cotillion Ballroom.

Nicholls Chamber Singers, a smaller and more select group of singers than the choir, have put on this event since 1985. This year, they have selected Christmas music to try and capture the essence of the season.

The theme changes from year to year.

“In the past we’ve done a Victorian Christmas Dinner, Christmas in New York and last year we did Winter Wonderland,” Klaus said.

Klaus is also the director of the Nicholls Chamber Singers, and Michele Parro is the pianist. Kellie Gaspard is producing this year’s event.

Children are also invited to the event, and Santa is expected to make a visit as well.

Prices are $40 for adults and $20 for children under twelve.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are required for the dinner and must be made no later than noon on Monday, Dec. 1. The University will be closed during Thanksgiving week, so those interested should leave a message if they call. Preference will be given to reservations made by Nov. 21.