I thought that, in many ways, it was the most successful of the nine versions of Christmas at PC that we had produced since 1999. Partly, the success was due to an artistic vision that is maturing. The staff is becoming more and more comfortable with the format and with one other and that familiarity plays a role in planning and implementation between February through August. Much of the perceived improvement would be due to a variety of significant advances over recent months including the installation of the new organ in Belk Auditorium during the summer, the addition of a full-time faculty member in string studies, a new professional technical director in the Department of Theatre, and a change in our rehearsal schedule that advanced preparation by weeks.

But much of the success of this year's event had to do with the musical and artistic growth in our choral and instrumental programs over the past few years. I think that it could reasonably be said that we are coming into our own and that, having established new baselines for our achievement, we must now find ways to consistently rise to those levels and lift them ever higher.

Dr. Stokes - Music Department Chair

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