Musical holiday offerings will begin Thursday when the LaGrange College Concert Band and Percussion Ensemble present their annual program at 7 p.m. in Callaway Auditorium.

Dr. Brandon Slocumb, assistant professor of music and director of bands, said this year’s show will be a smorgasbord of tunes.

“Because of the lateness of Thanksgiving this year, there wasn’t a good time to do a traditional holiday concert,” he said. “Consequently, we will be playing music about fall (“Autumn Leaves”), Thanksgiving (“Harvest Hymn,” “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays”) and Christmas (Suite from “The Nutcracker” and “Sleigh Ride”).

The concert also will include the Jazz Band, Brass Quintet, Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble and Saxophone Quartet.

“We are hoping to incorporate all of the ensembles into one set rather than having half the show from the Percussion Ensemble and the other half from the Concert Band,” Dr. Slocumb said. “We’d like it to be more of a collage concert featuring six different ensembles.”

On Dec. 8, the LaGrange College Singers will present the annual Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at 7 p.m. in Callaway Auditorium.

Dr. Samuel Miller, director of choral activities and assistant professor of music education, will be leading his first Lessons and Carols.

“We will be following the traditional format with a good mix of traditional songs and fresh arrangements of traditional and new songs,” he said. “And of course, we will have the customary audience sing-along.”

The Service of Nine Lessons and Carols began at LaGrange at Christmas 2001 and is designed after the service that originated in 1918 at Kings College in Cambridge, England.

The music will accompany Scripture readings about the birth of Jesus.

“We like having readers from the college and the community,” said the Rev. Dr. Adam Roberts, chaplain and director of spiritual life. “It’s a great way to bring everyone together to celebrate the season.”

This year’s readers will include Dr. Joy Baker ’02, a LaGrange OB/GYN physician; Bobby Carmichael, chairman of the LaGrnage College board of trustees; the Rev. Allen Pruitt, rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church; Leigh Threadgill, city planner for the city of LaGrange; Elissa Chandler ’20, United Methodist young clergy initiative intern with spiritual life; Kaylen Short ’11, pastor of Pine Mountain United Methodist Church; and Brian Carlisle, vice president and dean of students.

Both concerts are free and open to the public.