Although Somerset Hills Harmony is a secular a cappella organization, we have long been grateful to the Pluckemin Presbyterian Church for hosting our rehearsals and supporting our work. During a period when indoor singing was unsafe, the church generously allowed us to use their property for drive-in rehearsals and shared facilities. In response, we looked for a meaningful way to give something back.
Working in collaboration with the church choir, we recorded ten traditional Christmas hymns for personal listening and use in virtual worship services. Each singer recorded their part from inside their own car in the church parking lot. The performances were later mixed and engineered to create a warm, cathedral-like sound and paired with simple lyric visuals.
The completed collection was released free of charge and made publicly available online. While formal analytics were limited, we were later told that these recordings were used by churches and communities as far away as Scotland and Thailand.
The Christmas Hymn Project remains a reflection of what a cappella music can offer beyond the concert hall: connection, generosity, and shared humanity.
The Full Set of Ten Hymns (plus 2021 bonus track): https://youtu.be/Xw3Bs-RF5rc
Playlist of all songs as individual videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxL5DJLxpTygCJ2PeAdGm7JVsobg8Mz9j
Individual videos:
1. Come Thou Long Expected Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfFzsL8XsxU
2. O Come All Ye Faithful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPmBd0t73VM
3. Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBTuRhKrQn8
4. O Little Town of Bethlehem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj3OhUSnpag
5. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvMiBO6oT-Q
6. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnV7Ddw1gJs
7. Still, Still, Still: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ngnYScbwVU
8. Angels We Have Heard on High: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvKL3bEXygQ
9. Silent Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9Y_520xHlU
10. Joy to the World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmCMtMg8HiM
Bonus Track: Auld Lang Syne: https://youtu.be/c58c6Lw7coU
