NY1's Stephanie Simon has a preview of one choir's holiday concert that may even put the Grinch in the holiday spirit.
The Saint Thomas Men and Boys Choir is rehearsing "Handel's Messiah" for their upcoming performance. It a New York City holiday tradition for nearly 40 years.
"If you want a little Christmas cheer to come to the Saint Thomas Church and hear us sing because if we are singing happy music it can lift your spirits, and at the same time if we're singing sad music it's usually really slow and beautiful and so it sometimes brings people to tears," one boy said.
Handel wrote the Messiah in 1741. Today, it's probably the best known Choral piece worldwide.
"Handel was a genius. The rhythm, the pacing of it. It all kind of goes as one big roller coaster ride and people find that exciting," says Daniel Hyde, organist and music director at Saint Thomas Church.
These kids really do live the music. St. Thomas Choir School on West 58th St. just a few blocks from the Church, is one of only three choir boarding schools in the world, and the only one in the US. These students perform alongside professional adult singers as the Saint Thomas Men and Boys Choir.
"They really are professional musicians. They spent 20 hours a week working on it and they do new repertoire almost every day," says Amy Francisco, English teacher at Saint Thomas Choir School.
This choir always performs the Messiah early in December. For many, it is the start of the Christmas season.
"I feel really happy and my spirits lift up when you said that our school starts the Christmas," one boy says. "Whenever I see people in the audience smiling it makes my spirits lift up."
"It brings a joy in me knowing that people will be happy after hearing what we sing," another boy said.
The Choir performs Handel's Messiah at the Church December 6th and 8th. Tickets starts at $40.