Contact: Crystal Drake, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
Tuskegee University’s student choir, The Golden Voices, is busy preparing to welcome students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the entire community to the University Chapel for the 139
th annual Christmas Concert, on Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m.
“We are looking forward to our Tuskegee family, and our neighbors from across Macon County, joining us for beautiful music from our talented students, lifting our hearts in the spirit of love, hope and shared humanity this season represents,” said Dr. Mark A. Brown, president and CEO.
Guests will be welcomed into the chapel with a brass and wind prelude. After lights are lowered, the sanctuary will be lit to a dazzling glow when Dr. Brown lights the Christmas tree officially kicking off the season. From there, the Golden Voices will perform more than an hour of festive music.
“I hope the audience will experience the joy of the season when they are with us,” said Dr. Wayne Barr, who has served as Tuskegee University’s choir director for more than 25 years. “A joy that fosters gratitude for the present and hope for the future.”
Dr. Barr shared that music will include Carol of the Bells, The Twelve Days of Christmas, excerpts from Benjamin Britten’s cantata A Ceremony of Carols, as well as settings of Negro spirituals.
Choir President, Joseph Wiley, also says guests should get ready for some fun during an audience participation portion of the concert.
“Come feel festive with us!” said the Dallas native, a senior Aerospace Engineering major who will graduate next spring. “This performance is something the choir has put months of work into and is the culmination of our efforts. Our talented board hosted several successful events this past semester, and watching choir members engage with the themes, along with genuinely having fun, makes every weekly meeting worth it.”
Joseph added that this accomplishment is even more special given that the choir represents all levels of musical experience, from those with years of training to people like him who had never joined a choir. He initially entered Tuskegee with a minor in music which created the opportunity for him to become a member.
“Dr. Barr has a massive undertaking to sculpt the choir into a choral masterpiece. And he does it, every year, without fail,” he said.
The 52-member choir rehearses Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to master a wide variety of music for a packed schedule including all-university worship services, convocations, and performances at local churches and other community activities.
Following the 2025 Christmas Concert, next year the Golden Voices will delight audiences with an annual gospel concert, a trip to Iowa State University for its George Washington Carver Celebration, performances with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, a spring tour to Florida during spring break, and the 2026 undergraduate commencement.
The 2025 Tuskegee University Christmas Concert is open to the public. Visitors can enter through the main gate after visiting Tuskegee University’s Public Safety Department (located across from the main gate) to obtain a visitor’s pass. Please arrive early and present an ID at the Public Safety Department to enter campus.
© 2025 Tuskegee University
