To the editor:

Last Friday night the Newport Navy Choristers gave a Christmas concert in Portsmouth and an estimated 350 people from the community came to hear the music and get into the Christmas spirit.

The near-capacity crowd gathered to hear traditional Christmas favorites like “White Christmas,” “O Holy Night” and “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” along with other songs for the young at heart, such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

The concert was held at St. Barnabas Church and benefitted the Portsmouth Historical Society. 

The Newport Navy Choristers is a nonprofit group of volunteers whose purpose is to raise money for charitable organizations. The Choristers are directed by Lori McDowell and were accompanied on Friday by John Allen and harpist Arilyn Mitchell.

Introducing the second half of the program, Jim Garman, Portsmouth Historical Society president, acknowledged this Christmas gift from the Newport Navy Choristers and provided some insights into the history to one of the selections, the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” written by Portsmouth summer resident, Julia Ward Howe. He thanked the Newport Navy Choristers for their support and explained that the proceeds from this concert would help the Society pursue its goal of making the Society's main building ADA-accessible. 

One highlight of the evening was the audience participating in singing the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” to see who could be the loudest and most animated as sections of the audience took on the task of singing individual stanzas. It was a great community event that brought everyone together to share the holiday spirit.

Doug Smith

Portsmouth Historical Society

58 Heritage Drive