Child of Promise, Shine Through Us: 100th Concordia Christmas Concerts

Concordia College brings its Christmas concert to Orchestra Hall on Thursday, Dec. 10, with two performances: one at 5 PM and another at 7:30 PM. This year is a big one — it's the 100th edition of the series, titled Child of Promise, Shine Through Us.

The scale is what usually sticks with people. More than 400 student musicians take the stage, including four choral ensembles and a full symphony orchestra, all under artistic director Dr. Michael Culloton. The program draws its theme from the work of three poets: the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer and a pair of pastors. It's a massive amount of sound coming from one stage, and the centenary milestone gives the whole thing a bit more weight than a typical holiday show.

To get how this fits into the city, you have to look back a bit. The Concordia Christmas Concerts started in 1927, when piano and organ professor Clara Duea put together the first program in the chapel of Old Main. Over the decades, it grew into one of the college's biggest draws, bringing in out-of-town visitors and leaving a real economic mark on local businesses. In 1975, the college moved the show to Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis to reach a wider audience, and for thousands of people, that's become the unofficial start of the holiday season every December. It's an Emmy Award-winning tradition that's been running for nearly a century.

There are a couple of details that make it a distinct production. Every year, artist Paul Johnson creates a new mural to serve as the backdrop — he's been handling the commission since 2009. The concert is also broadcast on regional radio, with a television recording made every few years. This year's centenary edition is at Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403, with performances at 5 PM and 7:30 PM on Thursday, Dec. 10.