Northbound Singers St. Lucia Concert

Northbound is group of five singers from the Boston area with Scandinavian roots. Their music and performances are defined by a love of Nordic vocal music, long time friendship, humor and many years of performing traditional and contemporary vocal music together. For this special Lucia performance they are joined by their children in a candle lit Swedish Lucia procession.

Sankta Lucia celebrations are an important part of the Scandinavian Christmas season, which traditionally begins on St. Lucia Day on December 13 and ends on January 13. Lucia processions announce the beginning of the Christmas season, with Lucia appearing in a white gown and red sash, with a crown of lit candles in her hair. Traditionally the eldest daughter, dressed as Lucia, would carry a tray of buns and coffee to her parents in the early morning in their home. These days, many towns elect a girl to play Lucia for public processions accompanied by attendants of boys and girls who sing songs of the season, performing in churches, community centers, retirement homes, and even shopping malls.

The festival of Sankta Lucia or Saint Lucy in Scandinavia is most simply understood as a celebration of light and hope in a time of darkness. Celebrated close to the winter solstice, much of Scandinavia has just a few hours of daylight at this time. The customs surrounding Sankta Lucia Day are a combination of old pagan customs and Christian beliefs. Saint Lucia was a Sicilian martyr of the Catholic Church, whose story came to Sweden with Christianity. Originally Sankta Lucia was celebrated only in Sweden, but during World War II under German occupation, the custom became popular in Norway and Denmark as a way to assert Scandinavian identity, and remains popular all over Scandinavia today.

**Northbound is:** Megina Baker (voice and violin), Maria Ericsson (voice and recorder), Karin Holst (voice), Annette Kövamees (voice), Sonja Schmidt (voice), and Ken Lundberg (percussion)

Host or Publisher Scandinavian Living Center