Senior vocalist reflects on four years of ‘Christmas at Belmont’
For Belmont music students, December brings not just final exams, but the opportunity of a lifetime: “Christmas at Belmont.”
This annual holiday special, featuring hundreds of students in more than a dozen vocal and instrumental ensembles, becomes the cornerstone of the University’s School of Music as the fall semester culminates.
The final weeks before “Christmas at Belmont” transform students’ routines. About two weeks before the show, daily rehearsals consume performers’ schedules. Individual ensembles intensify their practice sessions, preparing not just for performance but for any contingency — from sudden illness to injury.
Calista Morrison’s “Christmas at Belmont” Journey
For senior commercial music major Calista Morrison, this year’s production marks the culmination of a four-year journey that has shaped her artistic identity.
Morrison’s classical training led her to an unexpected path: commercial music. “What enticed me the most was the fact that I didn't know what commercial music meant, and my explorative side really wanted to go down that path,” she said.
Morrison is a member of two vocal ensembles performing in “Christmas at Belmont.” Now in her second year performing in Jazzmin and her third in Chorale, Morrison has found her home in two of Belmont’s premiere ensembles. She moves seamlessly through Jazzmin’s intimate 12-member jazz ensemble and Chorale’s classical repertoire. “Both are a huge blessing in my life, and I’m so thankful for both groups,” she said.
Her sophomore year, Morrison secured a spot in Chorale but did not make Jazzmin. “I was one of the few sophomores in Chorale,” Morrison recalled. “Most of them were upperclassmen and knew each other for many years. I was so worried that I didn’t belong there.”
She quickly discovered that she did belong. “The veterans in my soprano section took me under their wing,” she said. “I got to explore more of my musical side than I ever had and I fell in love with the group.”
Under Chorale director Dr. Jeffrey Ames, she mastered reading music, harmonies and ensemble performance. The following year, she earned a place in Jazzmin.
This year, Jazzmin is performing a song with Belmont alumnus and guest performer Cody Fry. Following in Fry’s footsteps — he was a member of Jazzmin himself as a student — holds special meaning for the group.
“Being able to say I was on Amazon Prime singing with Cody Fry for a Christmas special is huge. It’s a crazy resume builder,” Morrison said. “[When I tell my friends], they say, ‘Wait, you're going to be on TV? You're going to be singing with Grammy award-winning people?’ That's an insane sentence to say to somebody who is not in music or knows anything about Belmont, but it's so normal here.” 
Morrison marvels at how much work the directors and her fellow performers put in to make the show exceptional. Learning both the technical skills required to be in an ensemble and the compassion needed to make beautiful music with so many people has transformed her artistic journey.
Above all else, Morrison treasures the gift of bringing joy to others through her performances. “Whether we know it or not, music impacts people,” she said. “We don't know what any of the audience members are coming in with. If we can touch their hearts, touch their souls, make them smile, make them cry — that's the mission. The mission is to [make others] feel.”
Performing with Belmont’s vocal groups, Morrison said, has changed her life. She remembers being a freshman on the risers in “Christmas at Belmont," looking at the ensembles with high aspirations. Today, she stands among those same ensembles, inspiring a new generation of performers.
Learn More
Interested in joining an ensemble?