By Coral Gables Gazette staff

Seraphic Fire will return to Coral Gables this weekend with one of the most anticipated traditions of the South Florida holiday season. St. Philip’s Episcopal Church will host an intimate Christmas program shaped by the ensemble’s signature blend of precision, warmth and historical depth on Sunday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. Associate Conductor James K. Bass leads this year’s offering, which pairs centuries-old carols with a live reading of the 1823 poem that reshaped Christmas rituals across the English-speaking world.

For longtime followers of Seraphic Fire, the annual Christmas program holds a special place in the ensemble’s calendar. The group built its national reputation on its ability to make early choral music feel urgent and contemporary, and this concert carries that tradition forward. Bass, a Grammy-winning conductor known for his meticulous musicianship, steers the evening toward what he views as an experience rooted in shared memory. Carols such as The First Noel, Joy to the World and Silent Night become communal signposts, not simply repertoire—familiar melodies that allow audiences to settle into the season while also hearing something new.

A program shaped by tradition and reinvention

The structure of the St. Philip’s performance draws from Seraphic Fire’s longstanding approach: blend beloved carols with unexpected selections that deepen the emotional landscape. Works such as Elizabeth Poston’s Jesus Christ the Apple Tree and Owain Park’s O Magnum Mysterium introduce moments of stillness and contemplation, offering a counterbalance to the jubilant energy of O Come, All Ye Faithful and Carol of the Bells. Bass, who premiered several of these works with the ensemble in earlier seasons, builds a sequence that favors clarity over spectacle. The emphasis remains on the human voice—unamplified and unadorned—moving with deliberate focus through intricate harmonies.

The program’s recurring thread is intimacy. Seraphic Fire performs a cappella throughout, allowing the ensemble’s tonal blend to become the primary instrument. St. Philip’s Episcopal, with its bright acoustic and modest scale, heightens this effect. Voices carry without strain, and text sits at the forefront, which matters in a program rooted in storytelling. The absence of orchestration or overt staging places audience attention directly on the singers and their craft.

The poem that helped create Christmas as we know it

Interwoven with the music is a reading of A Visit from St. Nicholas, the 1823 American poem better known as ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. Its inclusion links the concert to a broader cultural history. The poem shaped the modern image of Santa Claus, codified several Christmas Eve traditions, and contributed to the secular-spiritual synthesis that defines the holiday in the United States today. Presenting the poem within a choral framework allows it to function almost as a narrative interlude, giving the concert an arc that reaches beyond sacred repertoire alone.

Seraphic Fire’s Christmas programs often explore the porous boundary between religious and cultural observance, and this reading underscores that idea. Families who attend each year often describe the program as a gateway into the season—a ritual that marks the shift from December’s rush toward its quieter, reflective center.

A curated listening experience

The printed program leans on a wide range of carols and contemporary works, including selections that highlight the ensemble’s relationship with modern composers. Ēriks Ešenvalds’ Only in Sleep and Sally Beamish’s In the Stillness bring a shimmering, atmospheric quality that contrasts beautifully with Tchaikovsky’s familiar Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. The works by Ralph Vaughan Williams and June Collin draw from British choral traditions that Seraphic Fire has championed for more than two decades.

For audiences familiar with Seraphic Fire’s recordings, several pieces will evoke earlier performances. Patrick Dupré Quigley’s arrangements of Once, as I Remember and Silent Night mirror the ensemble’s defining style: close attention to text, elegant pacing, and a balance between historical authenticity and contemporary resonance. Bass’s interpretation of Jesus Christ the Apple Tree, recorded in 2020, remains one of the ensemble’s most widely streamed tracks and often serves as an emotional centerpiece of the Christmas program.

St. Philip’s as a neighborhood tradition

Hosting the concert at St. Philip’s Episcopal reinforces Coral Gables’ long relationship with choral arts. The church’s Andalusia Avenue location has become a gathering point for seasonal performances, community recitals, and vocal masterclasses. Its nave offers clear acoustics without the cavernous scale of a cathedral, making it an ideal setting for a cappella ensembles. For attendees, the experience feels more like entering a neighborhood tradition than a large-venue holiday event.

The concert also supports a broader cultural pattern emerging across the city. Coral Gables continues to invest in December programming that celebrates local music, congregational arts, and community gatherings. In that context, Seraphic Fire’s return adds artistic weight and continuity to a month already rich with performances.

Event information

Date: Sunday, December 7
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 1121 Andalusia Ave., Coral Gables
Featuring: James K. Bass, conductor; Seraphic Fire, a cappella
Program: Traditional carols, contemporary choral works, and a live reading of A Visit from St. Nicholas
Tickets: Available through Seraphic Fire’s website