NEBRASKA CITY – Apple Corps Barbershop Chorus director Dean Thomson described the annual Advent Recital in Nebraska City as an emotional kick start to the Christmas season and a source of joy.

Thomson: “There is always joy in hitting a chord perfectly. In hitting those overtones you go ‘wow.’ That’s a neat feeling, but the real joy is knowing that the other people are having fun and they are feeling something special.”

Choirs from several churches will join about 50 singers from the Apple Corps and Belles-a-Peelin’ at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 6 p.m.

 

Thomson: “Really, to me, (the advent recital) starts the Christmas season. That’s when, emotionally, you sort of feel the togetherness, the coming together to celebrate Jesus’ birth.”

In 1964, students at Syracuse High School elected Thomson as the Christmas King. His duties under the title are unclear, but he most certainly would’ve been encouraged to participate in the school’s Twist dance competition.

Elected alongside Thomson was the Christmas queen Diane Lant, who plans to participate in this year’s Advent Recital with the First Lutheran Church. She says Thomson is still the Christmas King when it comes to the music.

Thomson said the Advent Recital shows the harmony in a community when they gather to listen to each other perform and join together is a mass choir. He said the event’s ability to bring people together definitely puts it on the list of top Christmas traditions.

Thomson: “They all go to their individual churches and celebrate, but here we’re all together as one in one place and singing, usually Silent Night.”

He said Silent Night is not difficult to sing, but it can be tricky because the last verse is sometimes sung in German.

“Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!”

Thomson said music has always been a part of his life as his father Donald Thomson was choir director of the Methodist Church in Syracuse.

Thomson: “We just grew up, naturally, to sing in the choir. Music was just a part of it. There wasn’t even a second thought.”

Much of his experience with the Apple Corps has been as a teacher.

Thomson: “Somebody told me once, and I’ve tried to remember this, is that if the chorus isn’t doing what you want, it’s not their fault. They are not singing wrong on purpose. You know, it’s you. You’ve got to find a new way of getting across to them.”

He said singing the Hallelujah Chorus was special, but the highlight of the Advent Recital’s 45 years is the move to St. Mary’s Church.

Thomson: “It just exploded when that happened. It was just super, so many more people involved and more churches involved.”