By Jacinta Sigaud ’26
The Thomas More College Choir celebrated the end of the Christmas season with a Candlemas concert on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at Sainte Marie Parish in Manchester. Candlemas commemorates the presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple, where he was hailed by Simeon in Luke 2:32 as a “light to the revelation of the Gentiles.” Under the direction of Katherine Yost, the Choir presented a collection of polyphony and hymns, which bade a beautiful and poignant goodbye to Christmastide. This year’s performance included works by Thomas Tallis, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, and Palestrina, among others.
The concert bore witness to the hard work and dedication of the members of the Choir, who, after only two weeks of preparation, brought a wide variety of choral pieces to life. Freshman Peter Fraser ’29 greatly enjoyed the experience. “Once you realize it’s not for yourself, it becomes really awesome,” he commented. “I enjoy singing but seeing the reaction on people’s faces who’ve never seen anything like that before is such a reward.”
This is the first year that the Thomas More College Choir is under the direction of Katherine Yost, who, in addition to leading the Choir, instructs the Freshmen in Way of Beauty. The members expressed their appreciation for her guidance. “I think Mrs. Yost’s dedication is really inspiring,” said Mr. Fraser. “She’s very patient and incredibly talented, so it has been a good experience just to watch her.”
Helen Presberg ’26, who has been a member of the Choir for several years, agreed. “I love the music that Mrs. Yost selects and the way she makes us learn new things and develop new skills.” She continued, “Mrs. Yost’s direction feels spontaneous. She really teaches you how to trust the process, trust her, and trust your abilities.” Miss Presberg also appreciated the challenge of performing the selected pieces. “I’ve always found performing in concerts to be a very emotional and spiritual experience. A lot of the time the music causes you to forget yourself because you’re participating in such a high and old tradition. The kind of music we sing is meant to glorify God.”
Mrs. Yost herself has enjoyed stepping into the role of choir director at Thomas More College. “It’s been absolutely wonderful,” she began. “I was immediately astounded by the good spirit and joyfulness of the students, and also by how much they learned on their own very quickly. They did way more than I thought they could do because I chose so much music. But they rose to the occasion, and they learned it and it was beautiful.” Mrs. Yost emphasized the essential function of beauty within a life of faith and expressed her fondness for English hymns. “It’s very important that the liturgy be beautiful. I was an Anglican before I converted, so I came from the English tradition of church music. I like having people participate in that. Sacred music gives us a taste of Heaven that draws us closer to God and gives us a refuge from the world, which is why it’s so important.”
Mrs. Yost looks forward to preparing the Choir for two Easter performances in the Spring. Thank you to everyone who attended the Candlemas concert and to those who support the Choir!
