On Saturday, Dec. 7, the Performing Arts Center opened their doors to let a full audience settle down into their seats. Professor James Song made his way to conductors stand as the director of the Symphony Orchestra. He was welcomed with a loud round of applause. The Orchestra was already seated prior to his arrival.

The Moorpark Concert Choir filed in quietly on the risers with Choir Director, Jinyoung Jang. They stood side by side, clutching their black songbooks. The students stood completely still as the lights from the green Christmas wreaths glistened on the surrounding walls of the auditorium. The audience fell silent as the violinists began to play the first notes of the opening number.

The program began with choice selections from Handles “Messiah.” The Symphony Orchestra performed “The Overture,” and was followed shortly by an Accompanied Recitative “Comforte ye my people.” Barry Uko, a tenor, was the soloist and performed this piece with expert control over his voice. The violins accompanied him with a light, flowing sound as he performed. The Aria “Ev’ry valley shall Be Exalted,” was an extreme contender in matters of difficulty that the piece exudes. The audience was taken aback at the amount of mastery needed to sing this solo under pressure, and applauded generously.

Next, the Concert Choir performed “The Glory of the Lord,” which was accompanied by the Orchestra. The first sopranos took the lead for the majority of the piece while the altos gave the piece balance, by blending in their voices with lower tones. The next Accompanied Recitative “Thus Saith the Lord,” was performed by Thomas Hollow, a bass soloist, who did a wonderful job of keeping in time to the rhythm of the piece. This piece possessed a dramatic flair, while the string section accompanied Hollow. His voice was a bit softer in comparison to the music, but that did not hinder his ability to sing his part. The audience were visibly pleased by the level of vocal control to complete the piece.

The Concert Choir resumed with “For Unto Us a Child is Born,” which was accompanied by the entire Orchestra. The piece is exalting the birth of Christ, or the Everlasting Father. Olivia Barker, a first soprano, performed the Accompanied Recitative, “There were Sheperds Abiding in the Field,” as a beautiful solo. Her voice swelled into a rolling crescendo that swept over the audience. It was operatic in nature and moved the audience to a deafening round of applause for her brilliant performance.

The Aria “He shall feed His flock,” performed by soloists Jasmine Khorsandi, an alto, and Kristen Jones, a first soprano. Khorsandi used her voice to flow with the softer tones of the violins. Jones followed with a powerful solo that carried her voice above the musical accompaniment. But in comparison, both students made sure to grab the attention of the audience, and they succeeded without a doubt.

The Choir performed “Hallelujah,” to sweep the audience members to adoration. The entire Orchestra joined the Choir to produce this wonderful arrangement.

The “Overture Miniature,” marked the beginning of the second half of the performance. The Symphony Orchestra still held the stage, as their multi-talented musicians performed for an eager audience.

The second segment of the concert was dedicated to “The Nutcracker Ballet.” The Director of the Moorpark College Dance Department, Robert Salas, sent one dance student onstage for her big debut.

The star dancer of the “Sugar Plum Fairy”, Brianna Ferguson, appeared in a white tulle dress, and swept gracefully across the stage upon tiptoe. The keyboard and brass section were playing to accompany this iconic dance.

Next dance in the lineup is “Arabian.” Dancers Karissa Kniseley, Trisha Meseck, Jesse Meraz, and Jan Sevilla, slid effortlessly across the stage to create a serene atmosphere. Their body movements were encompassing a slow fluidity that is difficult to master. The audience was mesmerized by their performance.

In stark contrast, “Chinese Tea,” was served to the audience in a bright and colorful arrangement. The brass section was in full swing when dancers Sydney Campbell, J.L. Delgado, and Abel Ferrel danced with electric blue hand-held fans. Campbell wore a matching oriental dress to complete the look. The audience was delighted at the sudden change in mood.

Six female student dancers performed the last dance in the ballet, the “Waltz of the Flowers”. They exhibited a style of poise when they twirled gently across the stage. Their white, floor-length dresses added a touch of innocence to the majestic arrangement. As they struck their final poses, a roar of clapping was emitted from the audience, and the admiration continued.

As the evening was coming to a close, the Orchestra held the stage as they performed “It’s Christmastime, a medley for an orchestra.” They played the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and string sections to emulate a warm feeling of Christmas nostalgia among the crowd. Classic Christmas carols were also included in this arrangement.

Soloists Bethany Spielman, and Michael Sallee performed a widely recognized Christmas song, “Winter Wonderland,” as a duet. The song can evoke a romantic evening walk through the park with a significant other during the wintertime. This duet did a fantastic job of engaging the audience to feel like they are part of the magic unfolding.

The Orchestra performed the last grand arrangement, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” They proceeded to wear red and green hats to add more holiday flair. As the last note was played, Song, Jang, and Salas took their bows and waved in appreciation to the enormous crowd, who were now standing and cheering. Although the Holiday Lights Concert was performed on one night, it remains to be performance to remember.