Last night’s Christmas concert by the St. Andrew’s Priory Choirs was a prime example of the miracle that can happen in performance — when everyone rises to the occasion and exceeds all expectations. As some of you may know, LCH’s Naomi Castro, a daughter of the congregation (I played for her parents’ wedding!) is now in her second year as Director of Choral Activities at St. Andrew’s Priory, an Episcopal all-girls school. Her accompanist is Carl Crosier, who I believe is Hawaii’s only chief financial officer who doubles as the school’s pianist.

The program was just about perfect in every way — never was there an out-of-tune note, the tone of the choir was lovely, and the girls were challenged to sing a wide variety of repertoire in two- and three-parts and in several foreign languages — French, Hawaiian, and Italian. And every piece was memorized, to boot!

Here’s the repertoire list:

I wonder as I wander (Appalachian carol, arr. Richard Osborne)
Carol of the bells (Ukrainian carol, arr. Peter J. Wilhousky)
Mary, Mary (Mary Donnelly and George L. O. Strid)
Le sommeil de l’enfant Jésus (Traditional French carol, arr. Ron Jeffers)
Iesu ka ho’ola (Randie K. Fong)
O little town of Bethlehem (English traditional, arr. John Coates)
Pat-a-pan (Burgundy carol, arr. Clare Grundman)
Gesu bambino (Pietro A. Yon)
Let’s hear it for Mrs. Claus (Lois Brownsey and Marti Lunn Lants)
Light a candle (Michael Andrews)
Sleigh ride (Leroy Anderson arr. Andy Beck)

Congratulations, Naomi (and Carl) for a beautiful performance! (P.S. Do you know that they both share the same birthday?! No wonder that they are on the same page!)