Christmas music

People of the Sioux Falls area have many options when it comes to enjoying local Christmas displays. Some locations are well known, while others are hidden away.

During December, Falls Park near downtown Sioux Falls lights up with millions of Christmas lights. Michael Williamson of Dakota Holidays in Sioux Falls says seeing the Falls Park light display is breathtaking.

People of the Sioux Falls area have many options when it comes to enjoying local Christmas displays. Some locations are well known, while others are hidden away.

During December, Falls Park near downtown Sioux Falls lights up with millions of Christmas lights. Michael Williamson of Dakota Holidays in Sioux Falls says seeing the Falls Park light display is breathtaking.

Members of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra stop by SDPB's Sioux Falls studio to perform and visit about this year's Holiday Collage concerts. Holiday Collage performances are Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls.

Jon and Jeremy Hegg make their annual visit to Dakota Midday in the midst of this year's Holiday Jam with the Hegg Brothers. The talented singers and musicians are joined by guitarist/vocalist Christopher Smith at SDPB's studio on the University of Sioux Falls campus for live music and conversation. The Holiday Jam tour goes through December 18.

Dr. Kenneth Tice, Director of Choral Activities for Mount Marty College in Yankton, helps preview the college's annual Vespers service. The 2015 program, "ad verbum illuminatum" (the illuminated word) features music that reflects the text of the illuminations from the St. John's Bible.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year for music ... or maybe not. Federalist writer Richard Cromwell shares his Ten Worst Christmas Songs of all Time. George Michael and Mariah Carey are represented, alongside one nonsensical Christmas donkey and a roomful of English pop stars.

The 2015 Holiday Jam is underway with concerts scheduled through December 20.  Hegg brothers Jon and Jeremy along with Jam members Allison Nash and Andrew Reinartz joined guest host Cara Hetland at SDPB's Sioux Falls studio Wednesday for a lively visit about this year's Holiday Jam and some live music.

Now that the holiday season is upon us, those familiar songs are once again filling the airwaves and concert halls. But, of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without those timeless hymns, carols and seasonal standards.

Over the past few years in their series of Holiday Jam Concerts, Jeremy and Jonathon Hegg have taken those sometimes stale chestnuts and re-arranged them to sound fresh and exciting. They also mix in a few lesser-known Christmas tunes.

The King's Singers open their North American Christmas tour in Brookings this evening at South Dakota State University. The renowned a capella group was founded in 1968 by six choral scholars from King’s College in Cambridge, England. The group’s repertoire ranges from classical and religious music to folk songs and pop tunes. Over the group’s 46 year history, 24 men have sung with the King’s Singers. Baritone Chris Bruerton has been a member of the King’s Singers since 2012.

This year’s Holiday Jam begins tomorrow night in Rapid City and wraps up in Sioux Falls on December 22 for a total of 15 concerts. Jeremy Hegg, singer Allison Nash, harmonica player Noah Hoehn, and saxophonist Matt Wallace joined the program to discuss the tour and play some Christmas tunes.