In this episode, The Daily profiles Northwestern Community Singers. The Daily delves into the program’s annual caroling tradition and how the group comes together to prepare.
SARA YEN: Music is, like, a really big connection between people … and I think especially with the holidays, music is really important for celebrating. Like, I think it brings a lot of festivity and joy. So I think like, that we’re able to kind of bring that festivity to the community … It’s been a really fun tradition.
[music – Community Singers caroling]
TERESA AYALA LEON: That was Weinberg senior Sara Yen, the outreach chair for Community Singers, describing one of her favorite traditions the program does: caroling.
From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Teresa Ayala Leon.
ISABELLA JACOB: And I’m Isabella Jacob. Today, we’re talking about the Community Singers’ caroling tradition. Since its founding in 2021, the group has carolled in the Evanston community every December to mark the holiday season.
Yen joined the barrier-free group Winter Quarter of her freshman year in 2021 as it transitioned to in-person practices after the pandemic.
The group arranges its own music and has many annual traditions, including performing at The Merion, a senior living center in downtown Evanston.
SARA YEN: During Christmas, we perform at Evanston’s tree lighting for the past couple of years. We also used to do Christmas caroling, like in the actual neighborhood, which is a lot of fun. We performed at the Women’s Center.
ISABELLA JACOB: Her role as outreach chair means she helps coordinate where the group performs. She also brings philanthropy to the choir, she said.
SARA YEN: Every year we put on an annual benefit concert in spring where we raise money for a group. Last year, it was Students for Justice in Palestine, Chicago.
ISABELLA JACOB: This year, Community Singers is planning its benefit concert in spring quarter. Before then, for the holiday season, they are continuing their tradition of singing at Evanston’s tree-lighting ceremony “Holiday Light Celebration” on Dec. 7. They will be performing three songs: “Jingle Bell Rock,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Sleigh Ride.”
TERESA AYALA LEON: Weinberg sophomore Abigail LeBovidge joined the group halfway through her freshman year for a casual, low-commitment singing environment, she said. This will be her first time caroling with the group.
ABIGAIL LEBOVIDGE: I’m looking forward to caroling. I like that there’s a community aspect to it, and it’s also the first performance we’ve done this year, so it’ll be nice to actually take what we’ve been learning and share it with other people, with the Evanston community.
TERESA AYALA LEON: LeBovidge is Jewish and mainly celebrates Hanukkah. However, she said she still enjoys caroling as it gets her in the winter and holiday spirit and helps put the “community” in Community Singers.
ABIGAIL LEBOVIDGE: As many different types of performances and times we can get together and share what we’ve been working on is always an opportunity to grow closer to the rest of the group. So, I like that we’re able to, in the middle of the quarter and working on all the songs that we’ve been putting together since the beginning of the year, take a sort of side route down this other collection of songs.
ISABELLA JACOB: Weinberg senior Nicholas Min, the president of Community Singers, has been part of the choir since its inception.
NICHOLAS MIN: I was their music director in their first year of existence, their first year was when I was a freshman. So I was part of the exec group, part of the starting exec group, and I’m the last member of the starting exec group who’s still around.
ISABELLA JACOB: Min usually leads practice and helps members in all choral parts — alto, soprano and bass — learn and practice.
Min said the group’s caroling has a positive impact on the greater Evanston community during the holiday season. The group is excited to perform the caroling they’ve been practicing for the past two weeks at the “Holiday Light Celebration.”
NICHOLAS MIN: Christmas is such a time of joy, and I think Christmas music is a big part of that. And I think that going and singing and seeing these carols brings, brings joy.
[music]
ISABELLA JACOB: From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Isabella Jacob.
TERESA AYALA LEON: And I’m Teresa Ayala Leon. Thanks for listening to another episode of What’s New at NU. This episode was reported and produced by us, Isabella Jacob and Teresa Ayala Leon.
The Holiday Guide editors of The Daily Northwestern are Misha Manjuran Oberoi and Anavi Prakash. The audio editor is Edward Simon Cruz, the digital managing editors are Carlotta Angiolillo and Sasha Draeger-Mazer and the editor-in-chief is Jacob Wendler.
Our theme music is from the Northwestern Community Singers.
Make sure to subscribe to The Daily Northwestern’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or SoundCloud to hear more episodes like this. Follow us on X and Instagram @thedailynu.
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas: Chicago area carolers prepare for the holiday season
— Season’s greetings: How to celebrate the holidays in Evanston
— Ring in the holidays with this month’s most festive Evanston events
