LaGRANGE – The sound of Young Singers celebrating Christmas is set to fill the sanctuary of New Community Church this weekend with holiday cheer thanks to the “Christmas Memories” concert hosted there.

The Young Singers of West Georgia’s Christmas Memories concert is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, and this year’s show is set to be spectacular thanks to live music, choreography, a guest singer and even a few acapella songs.

“This is the return of our Christmas show,” said Conductor Stacey Hardigree. “We took two years off for different reasons. … We call it Christmas memories because we like to evoke emotions of special memories, and we hope to form memories of for the young singers.”

Close to 100 students between the ages of 8 and 18 are expected to perform a variety of Christmas songs in styles ranging from classic choral songs to light jazz at the concert. Some of the singers have been in the program for years and look forward to shows like this throughout the year.

“Since I’m going on my eleventh year in Young Singers, the Christmas Memories concert has (always) been my favorite part,” said Callye Chastain, a senior at LaGrange High School. “It is a perfect way to get in the Christmas spirit and realize what Christmas is truly about.”

The variety of musical selections will be sung by different parts of the choir and by the group as a whole.

“Frosty the Snowman is probably a show stopper because it features our boys’ choir in an entertaining way,” said Hardigree. “I am also looking forward to hearing the boy choir sing Panis Angelicus because it is a classic boy choir sound.”

The boys won’t be the only ones making the show great though. The girls’ choir is also set to sing beautiful, seasonal favorites.

“The Junior Girl Choir’s arrangement of Velvet Shoes in our winter section is captivating to me,” said Hardigree. “It creates this sense of winter wonder.”

In addition to the Young Singers, this year’s concert is set to feature the musical talent of Young Singers alumni Jalen Smith who recently starred as Rapunzel’s prince in LaGrange College’s production of ‘Into the Woods,’ and won first place in the musical theatre division of a competition sponsored by the National Association of Teachers of Singing earlier this year.

“It feels good coming back to it,” said Smith. “It is great that they are still going, and it is an honor coming back to sing with them again.”

The Christmas Memories concert is scheduled to take place at New Community Church, 1200 South Davis Road, on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and can be purchased from the LaFayette Society for Performing Arts at 706-882-9909 or on their website at www. LSPARTS.org.