As the holiday season begins, for Seattle Prep’s choir led by Mr. Weeks, Christmas music becomes more than just a catchy melody. It is a celebration of the season’s true spirit. When asked the influence of music on holiday cheer, Week’s remarked, “I don’t think you can have Christmas without music, I mean imagine that!”
With years of experience preparing his choir students for the Christmas Concert, Weeks believes that Christmas music aids his students in letting the season come to life through the memories and feelings of nostalgia that songs evoke in them.
Weeks chose “I’ll be Home for Christmas” as his favorite Christmas song after a few seconds of deliberation. Alike to the title, this song hits closer to home for Weeks than most. “It hits that special feeling inside me that makes it feel like Christmas. I went to college outside of my home state, so I always loved coming home for Christmas”.
Weeks emphasized the emotional impact of a good Christmas song, as well as its technical aspects. “I think the standard Christmas songs have cheerful lyrics, exciting rhythms, and a fun melody that you can also sing along too. Yet this connection goes beyond just listening to the song, it either needs to strike a nostalgic feeling or happiness or the birth of Jesus.” A catchy Christmas melody may be easy to compose, but the true test is writing one that taps into the timeless traditions and tender emotions of the season.
As the choir community begins to prepare, it can become stressful, but Weeks finds the most joy during this time. Alice Durnan ’27, a student in his sophomore choir said, “Mr. Weeks puts a lot of emphasis on emotion when we practice Christmas songs, his class makes me feel like a little kid singing along to Christmas songs on the radio.”
He aims to create an atmosphere where students can tap into the spirit of the season amidst the hurry of the holiday season. “I think it’s one of the easier parts of my job since a lot of people have positive memories of Christmas, so we just try to tap into that through choir.”
