Kona Festivale Chorale presents its 26th annual Celebration of Christmas in Music at 3 p.m. Dec. 15 in the Kamakahonu Ballroom of King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.
The chorale will perform, for the first time in more than 20 years in Kona, the original, unabridged Paul Johnson’s “Christmas Is the Best Time of the Year,” a made-for-television Christmas special produced for the Kraft Music Hall in 1987.
A collection of Alfred Burt carols, which now hold a permanent place in a growing archive of memorable Christmas titles, has also been included.
Jack Hayford, also a contributor to this production, has lent his writing and composing skills to a memorable collection called “A Hayford Kind of Christmas.”
“Christmas Time Was Meant to Bring Us Love,” also a Hayford tune arranged by Johnson, has a 1950s finish to it. Sharing this song is Isa Richter of Waimea and Will Wong of Kailua-Kona.
Instrumental music opens the second half of the concert with a theme and variations on the title “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” followed by Namaste Morphis and members of Kids’ Korner Children’s Choir as they ponder the question, “What do I do to prepare for Christmas?” in Johnson’s “Don’t Let the Season Pass You By.”
“First Christmas,” yet another Johnson tune, helps the audience draw near to the real reason for Christmas as Wong and Richter take to the stage in this nostalgic rendition.
Christmas would not be complete without the telling of the Christmas story. Roxanne and Yolanda Olson share this timeless story followed by “Let Heaven and Nature Sing,” sung in a gospel style by Jo-Anna Boshard.
The musical concludes with a reprise of its signature selection, “Christmas Is the Best Time of the Year,” with snippets from several popular carols — an opportunity for the audience to sing along.
No Christmas concert would be replete without Irving Berlin’s classic “White Christmas,” given a different treatment this year in a four-part harmony rendition by the Gloryland men and featuring Red Johnson. “Dai Diddle Dai” is a tip-of-the-hat to the chorale’s Jewish friends and their celebration of Hanukkah.
The “Wexford Carol,” a traditional Irish Christmas carol dating to the 12th century, is one of the oldest extant.
A new treatment to the Hawaiian “Po lai e” (“Silent Night”) arranged by Darmon Meader, is shared by the entire cast followed by 10-year-old Lyla Christensen’s rendition of “Jesus, Oh, What a Wonderful Child.”
Unique Christmas gifts will be auctioned at the concert with proceeds benefiting the choral, including Williams’ Sonoma “12 Days of Christmas” table service for 12. Also, for the discriminating shopper, there will be a drawing for three unique gift baskets.
Event tickets are available by calling Kona Festival Chorale at 331-1115. Reserved seating is $25 for adults or $10 for children. Open seating is $20 for adults, children 12 and younger are admitted free.