The Brother Martin Chorus held its annual Christmas Concert this week at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Metairie. Over 90 chorus members, the largest amount in recent school history, graced the altar steps for an evening of Advent and Christmas music. Under the direction of Kevin Caparotta ‘88, the combined beginner and advanced choirs sang William Bridgman’s arrangement of the traditional carol “The First Noel” as well as Gladys Pitcher’s arrangement of “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” The Advanced Chorus performed a variety of pieces from various cultures and time periods, including the traditional South African “Tshotsholoza” and the 18th century “Veni Jesu.” A highlight of this portion of the program was the use of aleatory (chance) music during the song “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”; here, students repeated the lyrics in layers at the times of their own choosing, making the piece a one-of-a-kind choral experience. Eleven chorus graduates of Brother Martin, ranging from the class of 1999 to the class of 2019, returned to perform two pieces: “The Little Drummer Boy/Peace of Earth,” made notable first by Bing Crosby and David Bowie in the 1970s, and “Here We Come A-Caroling.” Finally, all chorus members, current students and alumni, were joined by any alumni in the audience for the singing of “O Sacred Heart.” Merry Christmas from the Brother Martin Chorus!