Submitted by the San Juan Community Theatre

The magic of live music during the holidays comes alive at the San Juan Singers winter concert at San Juan Community Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.

Directed by Angel Michaels, the community chorus presents “The Seven Joys of Christmas,” a program of carols and winter songs, many with instrumental accompaniment, including a small chamber orchestra.

The chorus members spend over 50 hours a season gathering and rehearing to sing. Why?

Not only to share music with other islanders, but recent research studies show that singing increases the oxytocin levels in our bodies (the hormone that creates sensations of pleasure and love), and the group’s heartbeats begin to synchronize, causing an effect which creates higher levels of acceptance, appreciation, and empathy toward one another. Reasons for an individual’s participation can be more personal, including “I always feel better after choir,” “Singing takes me out of my everyday problems, gets me out of myself for a while,” or “A song gets inside me and makes me think about things I don’t usually take time to consider, like what makes something beautiful, or important, or romantic?”

Bernice Johnson Reagon, one of the founders of the singing group “Sweet Honey in the Rock” is credited with saying, “When we sing we announce our existence. We give space for our souls to fly, hearts to open, and bring the audience into our world for a moment. When we listen, we can vicariously experience many of the benefits of singing without all that rehearsing!”

The concerts’ Business Partner is Lake Kennedy McCulloch CPAs. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for student reserved, with $5 student rush, one hour before the show. The box office is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or tickets may be purchased at www.sjctheatre.org or from a San Juan Singers member.