The Jamaica Youth Chorale’s (JYC) annual Christmas Joy performance took on a deeper resonance this year as the group dedicated a special section of the production on December 21 to hope and healing in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

Presented in two acts at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts at The University of the West Indies, Mona, the production blended international and local Christmas music, while carving out a special section for reflection on national loss and recovery.

The concert opened with Donald McCullough’s Angels We Have Heard on High, a vibrant and rhythmically charged setting that immediately showcased the ensemble’s range and technical expertise.

Act One continued in a celebratory spirit, with works including Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. It also featured Ivo Antognini’s The Trinity Service – Magnificat, a work distinguished by its intricate textures. Underscoring the piece’s technical demands, Director Greg Simms even urged late patrons to take their seats before the performance began, comically describing the work as “hard fi sing”.

Matthew Drummond, JYC and K17 tenor, leads Dr Kathy Brown’s arrangement of Hold On To Your Dreams at Christmas Joy 2025 at Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts on The University of the West Indies, Mona campus.

Members of JYC Abigail Byrue (left), Matthew Drummond (second left) and Sherona Forrester-Thomas (right) hand over some 50 toys collected at its recent Christmas Joy performances to Nickanya Brown-Patrick (second right), UWI, Mona Guild External Affairs Committee chairperson, for delivery to children impacted by Hurricane Melissa. The presentation was made at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts at The UWI on December 22. .

The segment concluded with a grouping of local compositions that reaffirmed cultural identity. Dr O C Dawkins’ We Are Christmas and C S Walters’ The Virgin Mary injected warmth into the programme, with Joy, arranged by Dr Kathy Brown, bringing the section to an uplifting finish.

While the programme retained its celebratory spirit, the emotional centre of the evening emerged at the start of Act Two, when the group, led by its senior ensemble, Kingston 17, paused to acknowledge individuals, families, and communities still reeling from Hurricane Melissa.

As the programme moved into this segment, the lights dimmed and spoken reflections echoed over the house speakers, while the 17 singers stood on stage in full white — a change from the group’s formal black attire in the first segment.

The special section featured a series of emotive and reflective pieces, including Dr Kathy Brown’s arrangements of Endless Night/Shadowland from The Lion King and Hold on to Your Dreams; Nathan Carter’s If I Can Help Somebody; Dolly Parton’s Clear Blue Morning, arranged by Craig Hella Johnson; and Mark Hayes’ You’ll Never Walk Alone, earning audible reactions from the audience.

Following the section presented by Kingston 17, the group returned to celebratory Christmas themes with the full chorus, ending with Simms’ own upbeat arrangement of Silent Night.

Beyond the stage, the JYC also translated its message of hope into tangible action, collecting more than 50 toys from concert attendees and other partners for distribution to children affected by the storm. The toys were officially handed over on December 22 to the UWI, Mona Guild External Affairs Committee, which the JYC had partnered with for the drive.

The group’s evening performance was also executed as a benefit for The Caring For Miracles Foundation to aid in their work around pre-term baby care in Jamaica.

For this holiday season, shadowed by loss and recovery, the JYC’s Christmas Joy stood as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, showing that music can bring hope, uplift, and help communities heal.

Looking ahead to 2026, JYC anticipates another impactful year, with familiar moments, including a spring concert, alongside new opportunities to connect and share.