Ring in the holiday season a little early with the second annual “Merry and Bright: A Christmas Celebration,” at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, December 2, in Mabee Library on the Sterling College campus. Featuring longtime musical collaborators Bridget Hille and Sean Foster, assistant professor of music, the concert will share festive four-hand piano arrangements of beloved Christmas carols in a variety of styles—offering a joyful start to the campus holiday season. 

Hille and Foster have been performing together for more than fifteen years, beginning when they met at Wichita State University, where Hille served as a collaborative pianist for Foster’s lessons and performances. Their musical connection was immediate. “We recognized early on that making music together happened intuitively and without much effort, which made it really fun,” Foster shared. “When you find that in music, there’s a sense of being able to read one another’s minds.” After graduation, Foster found fewer opportunities to perform vocally, and piano duets became a meaningful creative outlet and a unique expression of their long-standing friendship.

This year’s program features mostly new selections compared to last year’s inaugural event, offering Christmas carols in a range of musical styles. In addition, Foster will perform several vocal selections—his first time singing in this annual program. “As a voice teacher and music faculty member, I think it’s important for our students to see us performing,” he said. “I haven’t yet had the opportunity to sing, so this seems like a fitting time.”

Warm, personal, and filled with the joy of collaboration, “Merry and Bright” invites audiences to celebrate the season through music, friendship, and shared creativity. The event is free to attend, and a free-will offering will be collected to support the Sterling College Music Department.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.