When the nights are longest and the days grow shorter, echoes of familiar, comforting carols still find their way to us as the turn of the year approaches. The New Jersey Chamber Singers present The Weary World Rejoices; beloved holiday texts and melodies are brought together in fresh, vivid interpretations, from the hushed glow of the manger to music that dances with joy.

We present a wide range of perspectives, including Phillip Lawson's We Three Kings, Away in a Manger by Molly Ijames, and Cradle Song by Robert Neumeyer, who sculpt moments of stillness. The ancient plea of Veni Emmanuel is heard alongside Vaughan Williams' setting of the English folk carol The Truth Sent from Above, and a modern acappella-style arrangement of The First Noel by Amy Whitcomb.

Wendell Whalum's beloved Betelehemu, a Nigerian carol, brings joyful celebration, and Mark Grizzard's fiery yet ethereal How Great Our Joy adds an invigorating interpretation of this traditionally tranquil carol, featuring 4-hand piano and djembe. Dan Forrest's arrangement of O Holy Night is a culminating climax of the program that brings freshness to the timeless text, the namesake of this concert season. 

Join us for a time to escape the rush and noise of the season and rediscover the songs that have carried hope and joy through centuries of winters.