Holiday cheer bustled through the doors of the Powell Church of God (formerly the First United Methodist Church). The annual Vespers Concert combines Powell High School’s Concert Choir and The Northwest College Collegiate Chorale. 

“The Northwest choir group did a good job of working with all the high school students,” senior Landon Smallwood said. “From what I have heard, the audience thought we did really well.”

Dr. Michael Yenny skillfully plays prelude piano music. Then, PHS seniors Brenna Henderson and Patience Frame light candles down the center aisle. Both chorales enter holding candles and singing O Magnum Mysterium by Evan Eamos. The light flickers off the blue stained glass windows and the acoustics of the old church accentuate every sound. 

“My favorite part was probably when we entered the sanctuary,” Smallwood said. “…The mixture of lights, songs, and the people in the pews felt majestic.”

Following Mrs. Schoessler’s resignment last year, Park County School District #1 hired a new middle and high school choir director, Ms. Drew Murray. She was very excited to direct at Vespers and enjoyed the atmosphere of the concert. 

“We started preparing after our fall concert [in October],” Murray said. “We started with some of our more complicated pieces, and then layering from there.” 

Comparable to previous years, the warm church was packed with community members, and only standing room remained. The community-filled audience was engaged and respectful. 

“My favorite part about Vespers was definitely seeing how everyone was able to adapt,” senior Patience Frame said. “Not only that, I’ve always loved seeing how the songs that the teacher chooses come together, even when everything seems rushed.”

Now that Vespers has concluded, the choir is hoping to fine-tune a few things before the Christmas concert. 

“I am looking forward to the Christmas concert because it will give us the chance to make our songs even better,” Frame said. “ I feel like we will be able to hear the difference.” 

The Concert Choir will perform again on Tuesday, the 17th, with PHS Singers, the Band, and Guitar at the Powell High School Auditorium. 

“It’s kind of fun when you get to perform songs twice,” Murray said. “We’ve gotten a chance to see what we succeed at, what we don’t, and we have discussions about it. My challenge to them has been: the less we have to repeat things, the more we can add.”