Lyon College’s Festival of Lessons and Carols

BATESVILLE — The annual Festival of Lessons and Carols, sponsored by the music department of Lyon College, will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Christian Science Society of Batesville at College and 18th streets.

The program uses the traditional English format of nine Christmas carols and nine Christmas readings from the Bible. The church features outstanding acoustics and an internationally renowned Dutch pipe organ situated in the rear gallery.

Performing the prelude and four of the carols will be the Lyon College Flute Choir, under the direction of Laura Stinson. This ensemble is in its 17th year and numbers roughly 10 flutists. The group performs on flutes at different pitch, including alto flute and bass flute. The group’s membership includes Lyon students and faculty, as well as community members.

Also participating will be bagpipers Kenton Adler, Jared Malone and J.D. Spahr; vocal soloists Rachelle Wade and Michael Oriatti; and whistler Jeanne Fitzgerald.

In addition, a treble choir under the direction of Laura Stinson will sing two carols. Its members include Kate Lanier, Molly Lucy, Sam Smith, McKenna Taylor and Scarlett Taylor.

At the organ will be Russell Stinson, college organist, who will play Christmas carols before the service, accompany the congregation on two carols and perform a Bach postlude after the service.

The readers of the Scripture passages include members of the flute choir, Lyon faculty members and members of the Batesville community. George Lankford, an emeritus professor at Lyon, will preside over the program.

Admission is free, and the performance is open to the public.