Closing out a year can feel disconcerting: How did it go so fast? Did I make the most of it? What lies ahead?
Dalhousie's annual Carol Sing provides a chance to pause and focus for a moment on more pressing matters, such as how well you remember the words to classic holiday tunes.
This year's singalong, held Tuesday (Dec.19) in the Dalhousie Arts Centre's Sculpture Court, saw employees and students warm up their vocal cords with a rousing batch of Christmas and Hannukah favourites.
They were led in this endeavour by a quartet of Foutain School of Performing Arts voice students and a piano accompanist.
"Having someone help us understand roughly where the notes are supposed to land so that we can aim for those is going to be hugely helpful," said Dal President Kim Brooks in remarks before the singing, eliciting chuckles from the crowd.
Oh, and for those who couldn't remember the words — well, the song sheet provided on the way in helped.
Nicole Jordan, an assistant professor of voice studies in the Fountain School, served as emcee for this year's festivities, which also included a United Way raffle, remarks from a program coordinator at United Way partner YWCA, and a hot lunch complete with cookies and other sweet treats.
Curtis Michael, an instructor in Dalhousie's Indigenous Studies minor program, offered up a performance of the Mi'kmaq Honour Song and a redition of the "Huron Carol" at the event as well. Written in 1642 by a Jesuit missionary named Jean de Brébeuf, the latter is widely considered Canada's oldest Christmas song.
Following the music and food, attendees were invited downstairs to the Dalhousie Art Gallery for a tour of Sameer Farooq's The Fairest Order in the World exhibition.
