A holiday tradition returns for the Washington High School choir and Lincoln Elementary Sunrise Singers this Thursday.

The two choral groups have banded together for many years to perform Christmas hymns and other holiday standards, and High School Vocal Director Jonathan Runaas says the event first began due to a technicality of the district’s calendar, “Sort of out of necessity we realized well we both need a concert there’s only one open night so we may as well do it together. And it ended up just being a wonderful experience and I enjoy seeing the high school students as they look at Lincoln Elementary, ‘Was I ever that small?’ ‘Yes, yes you were,’ those types of things. It’s quite enjoyable.”

Runaas adds this has been a great concert to organize as it typically comes only four weeks after their fall performance. Each group will be singing their own set of songs with a combined set midway through the program. Choir officer and senior Nolan Watson shares what its like to perform with a younger set of students, “It really is what you make of it. If you take the opportunity to be upstanding upperclassmen and really show what music is about then you really get to see the spark in the younger kids eyes like, “Oh my gosh, one day I can sound like him or I can sound like her.’ It’s really exciting to see, you kind of grow their passion for music because they think you’re so awesome, and man I love having somebody think I’m awesome.”

The holiday concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Washington Area Performing Arts and Events Center at the high school. A freewill donation will be accepted. You can hear more about the concert during today’s Halcyon House Washington Page on air and at kciiradio.com.