“A Lenoir-Rhyne Christmas” lifts spirits with an ode to Appalachia

Lenoir-Rhyne University will host its annual celebration and musical showcase “A Lenoir-Rhyne Christmas” from December 5–7. Tickets will be available starting November 7 at tickets.lr.edu, at $15 per seat.

Lenoir-Rhyne University’s annual Christmas concert will once again unify the campus and community for a time of reverence through seasonal sacred choral music, instrumental music, and carol singing. Four performances are scheduled on campus in Grace Chapel:

• Thursday, Dec. 5– 7:30 p.m. 

• Friday, Dec. 6 – 7:30 p.m. 

• Saturday, Dec. 7 – 5 and 7:30 p.m. 

The Saturday evening performance at 7:30 p.m. will be available via a $5 ticketed live stream at www.lr.edu/live. Guests for all performances are encouraged to be seated 15 minutes before the event starts. 

“The Lowly Lifted Up”
Each year, the music and readings are woven together to illuminate a unique aspect of the Christmas story, resonating with the events and challenges of our world today. "The theme, 'The Lowly Lifted Up' is derived from Mary's words in Luke 1 about God scattering the proud and lifting up the lowly, a reminder of the Christian belief that God often works through the humble," shared Director of Choral Activities Ryan Luhrs, Ph.D. 

The program will include multiple musical settings of Mary's words, including "Magnificat anima mea" by Taylor Scott Davis. Attention is given to the humble birth of Christ in a manger through the singing of "Once in Royal David's City," "Go, Tell it On the Mountain," "O magnum mysterium" by Evan Ramos and Mack Wilberg's arrangement of "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly." 

Another musical thread throughout the program is the use of Appalachian carols and folk tunes, such as "I Wonder as I Wander," "Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head" and "A Rustic Star Carol." which together will serve as a musical tribute to those most impacted by Hurricane Helene. "Our mountain neighbors to the west and north are continuing to recover from terrible devastation. These tunes are a reminder of the beauty of this region and the resilience of the people who live there."  

Performers will include the A Cappella Choir, College Singers and Brass Ensemble alongside a string quartet, the chapel’s pipe organ and additional student instrumentalists. In addition to Luhrs, faculty members collaborating on the performance include Jeana Neal Borman, collaborative artist and pianist; Cory Westby ’08, organist and university cantor; and the Rev. Todd Cutter ’96, M.A. ’00, M.Div. ’04, university pastor and director of spiritual life. Christopher Nigrelli, DMA, professor of music, leads the brass ensemble. 

Tickets Available November 7
Seating is limited, and tickets are required. Tickets for all concert dates will be available at tickets.lr.edu starting on Thursday, November 7. Tickets are $15 each for the in-person performances and $5 for the livestream on Saturday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance online. 

If a performance has not sold out, tickets may be purchased online in advance or at the door until the event sells out. A standby line will not be offered prior to each event as in previous years. All ticket sales are final. We are unable to offer refunds on purchased tickets. 

For questions, please contact the Lenoir-Rhyne University Box Office at tickets@lr.edu.