St. Olaf debuts new Christmas Festival public television special
In a year in which we are unable to offer an in-person Christmas Festival on campus, it’s all the more exciting that St. Olaf College, in cooperation with Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) and PBS+ Distribution, will air a brand-new television special this holiday season: A New Song of Grace and Truth. This 60-minute program features music and performances from the 2019 St. Olaf Christmas Festival, and debuts on public television stations across the country beginning December 17, 2020.
In the Twin Cities, the program will be broadcast on TPT 2 on Friday, December 18, at 8 p.m. CT; Saturday, December 19, at 2 a.m. CT; Thursday, December 24, at 7 p.m. CT; and Friday, December 25, at 1 a.m. CT. Additional broadcasts across the country can be found by searching for your local listings here: https://christmas.stolaf.edu/broadcast-information/airing-on-tv/
On the theme of A New Song of Grace and Truth, St. Olaf Christmas Festival Artistic Director and St. Olaf Choir Conductor Anton Armstrong ’78 said this:
“We felt that with all the conflict and strife in this country, as well as weathering the ravages of COVID-19, what we wanted to bring was something that was fresh, something that would give people a reason to celebrate the holiday season, and yet something that would give them hope throughout the course of the coming year. We’re hoping that people will find a sense of care and compassion — and that maybe if in a very small way, we help them to be a bit gentler, a bit kinder, a bit more loving, a bit more hopeful, then what we’ve done is a really good thing.”
We felt that with all the conflict and strife in this country, as well as weathering the ravages of COVID-19, what we wanted to bring was something that was fresh, something that would give people a reason to celebrate the holiday season, and yet something that would give them hope throughout the course of the coming year. We’re hoping that people will find a sense of care and compassion — and that maybe if in a very small way, we help them to be a bit gentler, a bit kinder, a bit more loving, a bit more hopeful, then what we’ve done is a really good thing.St. Olaf Christmas Festival Artistic Director Anton Armstrong ’78
First held in 1912, the St. Olaf Christmas Festival is one of the oldest musical celebrations of Christmas in the United States. Led by five conductors, it features more than 500 student musicians who are members of the college’s world-renowned choirs and orchestra.
The festival features a rich repertoire of classic Advent and Christmas compositions, familiar carols, hymns from around the world, and contemporary pieces from a diverse range of composers and cultures, offering music that both celebrates the Norwegian American history of the college while also highlighting beautiful works from around the globe.
A New Song of Grace and Truth would also not be possible without the generosity and support of the program’s sponsors: The Tomson Family Foundation, the Mark and Laura Johnson Family, David and Cynthia Hill, and an anonymous donor from the Class of 1970. The program is also available for purchase in the forms of audio and video downloads, and on CD as well.