If anyone is looking to get into the Christmas spirit before we even reach Thanksgiving, BYU-Idaho has just the event for you.
The BYU-Idaho Christmas sneak preview is happening this Saturday in the Barrus Concert Hall in the Eliza R. Snow Building on campus.
The concert features several holiday songs such as “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” with around 270 singers from various groups, including the Men’s and Women’s choruses.
This concert is just a preview for the main event, the BYU-Idaho Christmas show, which will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6 at the BYU-Idaho Center. It will feature “Great Gatsby” and “Newsies” Broadway star Jeremy Jordan.
Randall Kempton, the director of choral activities at BYU-Idaho, says the Barrus Concert Hall makes the performances feel special.
“Such a great acoustic space when you have singers behind you, around you, in front of you, there’s a physical feeling that you just don’t get by listening online,” Kempton said. “You’re hugged by the sound. It makes your body vibrate. It’s like being at a rock concert in a way.”
For anyone listening to BYU-Idaho Radio, Kempton shares an exclusive sneak peek of the show Saturday.
“We’ll be singing ‘Tennessee Christmas’ but with our own version of the words,” Kempton said. “It’s sort of in the Meredith’s honor since they’re from Tennessee. If you come to the show, you’ll hear the full version of the words that you won’t hear in the BYU-Idaho Center.”
As for the main event, Kempton says the prices to see a Broadway star like Jeremy Jordan are “absolutely a steal.”
“To see currently a lead on Broadway in ‘The Great Gatsby,’ and he having an understudy do his role in New York to come here to Idaho and sing in our show,” Kempton said. “To only have $10 for the ticket price for a student? It’s absolutely ridiculous. Anywhere else in this country, you’d be paying $50 at minimum for the nosebleed seats.”
For more information regarding ticket prices, event dress, dates and times, visit BYU-Idaho’s website for the Christmas Sneak Preview and the Jeremy Jordan BYU-Idaho Christmas concert.