In a year unlike any other, the 95th Carol Service at Trinity College School was a reminder of the beauty and promise of the Christmas season. While the school community was unable to gather together this year due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols was presented virtually on Saturday, December 12th.

The online event began with a live-streamed welcome by TCS Chaplain, Canon Don Aitchison in the Memorial Chapel, and Headmaster Stuart Grainger, speaking from The Lodge. This was followed by a pre-recorded presentation of the service, prepared by Father Don, which featured students and staff sharing the story of Christ’s birth from its foretelling through to the visit of the Magi, concluding with the words of John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

The following readers shared the Nine Lessons this year: Eleni and Antonia Pontieri-Patsias (Grade 5), Head of Senior School Kristopher Churchill, Michael Moreau (Grade 10), TianTian Dong (Grade 10), Rachel Bannister (Grade 11), Natasha Pinto (Grade 12), Head Prefect Graham Hall (Grade 12), Ms. Rebecca De Silva ’07 (admissions office) and Mr. Grainger.

The members of the Grade 11 and Grade 12 Chapel Choirs shared their beautiful voices with us: Summer Xia, Anna Yang, Sahil Amin, Sophia Bonham-Carter, Zoe Fingas, Subaru Fujimoto, Loretta Hu, Yena Lee, Echo Li, Natasha Pinto and Kaylie Tsang. The Grade 10 bell ringers added their talents, including lovely renditions of Good King Wenceslas and What Child is This? They are: Kyra Fingas, Emma Kim, Veronika Kawnik and Isabella Wu. A special highlight of this year’s service was a performance of Vivaldi’s Andante from the Concerto for 3 violins in F Major, featuring a trio of Grade 12 violinists, Wesley Chan, Grace Lu and Agnes Grabcova.

Thank you to all who contributed to the service. While we were saddened to be unable to join together in person at this special time, your efforts to sustain this wonderful school tradition were greatly appreciated, particularly in a year when hope and inspiration are so needed.