Speeches
Celebrating the Holiday Season in Song
To celebrate the holiday season, the campus community gathered in the Knight Arena on Dec. 1 for the annual Christmas musical forum. There, Accolade, Chamber Singers, and the Camerata Orchestra performed Christmas carols and holiday classics for the last University-wide gathering of the fall semester.
In between songs, President Bonnie H. Cordon gave a brief Christmas message centered on the Savior’s birth and other significant births in history during times when the world needed influences for good. In addition to Jesus Christ, Cordon named poet Elizabeth Browning, President Abraham Lincoln, and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Jeffery R. Holland as prominent historical and current figures who were born during times of war to benefit the world.
“All of us were born at this time to help move the Lord’s work along, just like the babies that were born in the past,” said Cordon. “And the one thing that we have to realize is that He knows us, He knows that we can be an influence for good, and He wants us to understand that eternal truth and choose to live up to our potential.”
Accolade 
Camerata Orchestra
The set list was as follows:
Accolade: Directed and arranged by Dr. Mackenzie Romriell
“Santa’s Lost His Mojo”
Camerata Orchestra: Conducted by Dr. Jakob Hofer
“Fantasia on Greensleeves” by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ensembles and Audience: Conducted by Dr. Jakob Hofer
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Away in a Manger”
Chamber Singers: Conducted by Dr. Kyle Nielsen
“One Sweet Little Baby” arranged by Shawn Kirchner with soloist Nick O’Connor (‘23) and accompanied by Patrick Summers
All: Conducted by Dr. Kyle Nielsen
“Silent Night” arranged by Wolfgang Linder