Silent Night

I am having a silent night here. This version of the song Silent Night is one of my favorites and very soothing. I have been watching the St.Olaf Christmas concert from last year on PBS. Earlier this week, I was able to go hear my niece sing in her Totino Grace Highschool Christmas Concert. She did an awesome job! The song arrangement(name escapes me)lasted for 40 minutes. There were five or so groups who all performed very lovely. Whenever I watch choirs, I have many memories of when I too performed in them. Sometimes I really do miss those days. And it just so happens that a former graduate of my same highschool back in the late 70's (and choir member) wrote about one of his best friends from that time dying an untimely death a few months back and he had just learned of the news. The deceased friend of his happened to be one of my old neighbors in the place where I grew up. He was a very spirited kid and had a funny name. Allen Englebert. He was very active in choir, theatre and also the Barbershop Quartet. The former classmate wrote a very sweet tribute about how they were friends who came together in Jr. High choir because they were singled out as having high and crackling voices. Music had brought them together and they became best friends all through highschool and then drifted apart as so many of us do with our old best friends. I just think it's great how the music in Jr. High choir had brought them together. I hope you enjoy the UMD choir singing Silent Night. Merry Christmas and prayers to those we miss!