St. Philip's invites everyone to celebrate this Christmas Eve with music, starting with a joyous Concert of Carols at 7:30 pm on Sunday, December 24. 

With a mix of choral and congregational singing, we'll be transported to Victorian-era England with music from the St. Philip's Chancel Choir, Choral Scholars, and guest musicians under the direction of Dr. Brittnee Siemon, Director of Music Ministry.

Christmas was celebrated in song in the Middle Ages, but most carols fell from favor in England after the Reformation because of their frivolity and were rarely sung in churches until the 1880s. E.W. Benson, Bishop of Truro (and later Archbishop of Canterbury), brought them back to worship, and they have remained in use ever since. 

Following the concert, St. Philip's will offer two services of Festival Holy Eucharist, at 8:00 pm and 11:00 pm, featuring several glorious a cappella offerings and many traditional favorites accompanied by the organ, including carol arrangements of John Rutter and David Willcocks, Peter Warlock’s "Bethlehem Down", Morten Lauridsen’s "O Magnum Mysterium", and James MacMillan’s "O Radiant Dawn".

Christmas Eve Musicians

Doug Grimm, Baritone

Doug is pursuing a master’s degree at Ohio University. A graduate of UNC – Greensboro with a dual degree in vocal performance and arts administration, Doug has worked in both theatrical and operatic stage productions for almost 16 years, most recently playing Ben in Giancarlo Menotti’s The Telephone and premiering several smaller one-act opera roles with Greensboro Opera’s outreach, Opera at the Carolina. In the spring of 2023, he will be performing the role of John Brooke in Mark Adamo’s Little Women. He is active with arts nonprofits, including the Brevard Music Center. His foremost love is sharing the beauty and joy of opera with those around him and working towards creating and developing an American culture that values this beautiful art form. Doug is currently a student of Dr. Daniel Stein, a former student of Dr. Robert Bracey, and currently works with legendary coach Dr. Arlene Shrut. When not on stage, Doug can be found on a hike, at the rock wall, or spending time with his family, his girlfriend, or his dear friends. 

Carrina Macaluso, Mezzo-Soprano

Carrina is a classically trained mezzo-soprano pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she is studying with Dr. Jeanne Fischer. Carrina is heavily involved in UNC’s opera program. She was most recently seen performing the role of Charity in Hildegard Von Bingen's Ordo Virtutum directed by Dr. Marc Callahan in April, 2022. She was previously seen in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea portraying the role of Seneca and covering for the role of Arnalta, also under the direction of Dr. Marc Callahan. Carrina serves as a choral scholar at University Presbyterian Church in Chapel Hill, and works as a voice teacher at Carolina Friends School in Durham, NC. After graduating from UNC, Carrina hopes to continue her studies in vocal performance and vocal pedagogy.

Kate Murray, Soprano

Kate Murray is a Brevard-based pianist and soprano. She grew up studying piano with her father, longtime Brevard Music Center faculty member Bruce Murray. She is a high school graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and received her bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College. She later continued piano and voice studies at New England Conservatory while working as a healthcare policy analyst in Boston. After moving back home to Brevard in 2022, Kate is now a vocal student of Dr. Kathryn Gresham and enjoys actively performing chamber and choral music across the Southeast.

Jamie Gilson, Tenor

Jamie, a Choral Scholar at St. Philip's, is a voice (music) major at Brevard College who grew up singing solos as a boy soprano on Cape Cod. He sang in a Royal School of Church Music Episcopal parish and was a soloist in another Episcopal church as well as a soloist at 13 in the highly auditioned Chatham Chorale, an adult chorale on Cape Cod with two student members and 60 adults. He took voice lessons and drumming lessons for five years on Cape Cod before he moved to Brevard in 2018. He has had starring roles in several musical theatre productions at both Brevard High School and Brevard College. As a senior at Brevard High School, he won the talent show with a self-composed jazz drum solo. As a high schooler he sang with the Transylvania Choral Society and sings with the Brevard College Chamber Singers. He plays drums with the Brevard College Jazz Ensemble. He was on the golf team at Brevard High School and works on weekends as a cart attendant at the Connestee Falls Golf Course. He worked at the Star Island Conference Center off the coast of Portsmouth, NH the summer of 2022 and performed in the weekly music concerts.

Gabriella Lujon, Soprano

Gabriella, a Choral Scholar at St. Philip's, is a classically trained soprano pursuing a Bachelor of Music Education degree at Brevard College, where she is studying with Dr. Brittnee Siemon. Gabriella is a member of two ensembles at the college, one of them being the Brevard College Chamber Singers. She is also a former member of the Carolina Concert Concert Choir in Hendersonville. When not singing, Gabriella enjoys reading or spending time with her dear family and friends.

Scott Coates, Organist

Scott is a native of the Asheville area. He began piano lessons at the age of five and began his organ studies at Asbury University his freshman year of college. He has been a supply organist in western North Carolina since finishing law school in 2014. During the week, he works for the Clerk of Court in Buncombe County. When not on the organ bench, Scott can frequently be found on a trail or a river somewhere in the beautiful mountains that surround us.

Dr. Brittnee Siemon, Mezzo-Soprano and Director of Music Ministry

Brittnee has led the St. Philip's music ministry since 2023, founding the Sounds at St. Philips chamber music series and leading the Choral Scholars Program in addition to the church's choirs and music program. A member of the Brevard College voice faculty, she is president of the North Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Brittnee is a versatile and engaging musician with diverse talents ranging from performing and recording to directing, teaching and conducting. She has premiered early and modern works including a debut at Jordan Hall in Boston and international appearances in Austria, italy, Germany, Turkey, and Belize. She appeared in the North American premier of Bob Chilcott's Christmas Oratorio and has appeared with the National Conference of the Historical Keyboard Society of North America, distinguished alumni for the Centennial Celebration of Ohio University's School of Music, and the International Muzio Clementi Conference in Lucca, Italy. Her numerous regional solo appearances include Pan Harmonia of Asheville, South Carolina Philharmonic, Augusta Symphony and Choral Society, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Music Center Symphony, Transylvania Choral Society, Asheville Baroque Concerts, and the St. Augustine Music Festival.