BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — One of West Virginia Wesleyan College’s great traditions, The Festival of Lessons and Carols, will be held Sunday, Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. in Wesley Chapel.

The service will showcase the Wesleyan Singers, Concert Chorale, Concentus Vocum, Wesleyan Brass Quintet, and high school choral ensembles from West Virginia, under the direction of R. Daniel Hughes, director of choral activities.

The Festival of Lessons and Carols features carol arrangements by Sr. David Willcocks and Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata, paired by scripture readings.

Sir David Willcock’s, the director of music at King’s College at Cambridge, was long considered Britain’s most esteemed choir director.  His work was renowned for the brightness, clarity, and exquisite intonation and was considered the standard for the modern English choral tradition.

The American composer, Daniel Pinkham, was a leading figure in choral music of the last half-century as well as an influential teacher, organist, conductor, and advocate of pre-Baroque traditions.  He served as the director of music for 42 years at King’s Chapel in Boston.

The Christmas Contata was composed in 1957 by Pinkham in part to express his admiration for the medieval and Renaissance music.

Following the program with weather permitting, those in attendance will gather outside for the ceremonial lighting of the Christmas tree and singing of carols, held between Wesley Chapel and Jenkins Hall.

Aladdin Food Service will also provide a holiday buffet dinner in the French A. See Dining Center.  The meal cost is $9.50 for faculty and staff and $10.50 for the general public.

Admission to the Festival of Lessons and Carols is free and open to the public.