How Christmas at Concordia has had to Evolve Due to COVID-19

By Seth Manchester

  • COVID-19 Outbreak

    During March of 2020, the COVID-19 virus resulted in changes with how many things work. One being the music department at CUW. The virus resulted in classes, rehearsals, and concerts to be cancelled for the time being.

  • Returning to Campus

    While students did return to campus in the fall semester of 2020, things were not back to normal for the music department. They were still unable to allow live audiences inside the chapel to listen to concerts. This led to the pre recording and releasing of the concerts.

  • First Christmas at Concordia with No Live Audience

    December of 2020 was the first time in the music department, then, 33 years of hosting Christmas at Concordia in which there would be no live audience. The department licensed the music and hired a professional crew to record the concert.

  • Deciding What's Next

    As early as September of 2021, the music department was working out the logistics of having a live audience for Christmas at Concordia. They made the unpopular, yet correct, decision of limiting the capacity to fifty percent.

  • Christmas at Concordia 2021

    Christmas at Concordia was performed with a live audience once again, but at limited capacity. This was the first time the university has had to limit the capacity in all of the 34 years of Christmas at Concordia.