Coro de Cámara Brings Diverse Holiday Program to Los Alamos

Coro de Cámara presented Making Spirits Bright with a performance at The United Church of Los Alamos on December 13, and the ensemble performs in Santa Fe today at 4:00 p.m. The holiday program reached across centuries and continents, offering Los Alamos audiences an opportunity to gather for music that highlights cultural diversity and community connection.

Selections ranged from Betelehemu, a Nigerian carol, to the Spanish Renaissance piece Ríu Ríu Chíu, Benjamin Britten's This Little Babe, and José Feliciano's Feliz Navidad. The program also featured notable arrangements including Joe Cox's take on In Dulci Jubilo, a Piano Guys mashup, and a duet drawn from Vivaldi's Gloria. The mix of repertoire signaled an intentional effort to represent global holiday traditions alongside well known classical and contemporary pieces.

For local residents, the concerts serve more than an aesthetic function. Coro de Cámara has recently tied artistic programming to mental health causes, and prior season work raised funds for LAUNCH. That history underscores how performing arts groups in Los Alamos County can act as partners in community wellbeing, directing resources and attention toward local service providers while offering shared spaces that reduce isolation and build social cohesion.

Public health considerations remain relevant as the community gathers indoors during the busy holiday season. Audience members are encouraged to observe common seasonal health precautions and to stay home if they feel unwell, to protect neighbors and to safeguard local health services. The accessibility of performances matters for equity too. Tickets for the concerts were available through Coro de Cámara's website and at the door, a step that can help reduce economic and logistical barriers for community participation.

As Los Alamos navigates winter holidays, events such as Making Spirits Bright illustrate how cultural programming can support emotional resilience and civic life. Continued collaboration between arts organizations, health advocates, and policymakers can expand that impact, ensuring that music not only entertains but also contributes to a healthier, more inclusive community.