{"id":6803,"date":"2026-01-14T10:45:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T15:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.musictravel.com\/blog\/?p=6803"},"modified":"2026-02-16T10:50:06","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T15:50:06","slug":"carmel-hs-choir-and-terre-haute-north-vigo-choir-take-the-stage-at-epcots-candlelight-processional","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musictravel.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/14\/carmel-hs-choir-and-terre-haute-north-vigo-choir-take-the-stage-at-epcots-candlelight-processional\/","title":{"rendered":"Carmel HS Choir and Terre Haute North Vigo HS Choir Take the Stage at EPCOT\u2019s Candlelight Processional"},"content":{"rendered":"

In late December 2025, two Indiana choirs stepped into one of Walt Disney World\u2019s most meaningful holiday traditions: EPCOT\u2019s Candlelight Processional. Carmel High School Choir, directed by Katie Kouns, performed Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, followed by Terre Haute North Vigo Choir, directed by Michelle Azar, on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
\nBoth groups performed once, but the experience carried the weight of a career highlight. Candlelight is not a typical theme park performance. It is a full-scale concert presentation of the Christmas story, blending artistry, tradition and an atmosphere that feels larger than the stage itself.<\/p>\n

What makes Candlelight different?<\/h2>\n

EPCOT\u2019s Candlelight Processional is staged at the America Gardens Theatre as part of EPCOT\u2019s International Festival of the Holidays. A celebrity narrator reads the story of Christmas while a live orchestra and massed choir bring the program to life with classic seasonal music.<\/p>\n

The celebrity narrator changes throughout the run. Past narrators have included Neil Patrick Harris, Whoopi Goldberg, Gary Sinise, Marlee Matlin and Edward James Olmos, among many others. In 2025, Carmel HS and Terre Haute North Vigo HS performed during the narrator window featuring Brendan Fraser.<\/p>\n

The Candlelight tradition began at Disneyland in the late 1950s, later expanded to Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom Park in 1971 and eventually moved to EPCOT in 1994 as the event\u2019s popularity grew.<\/p>\n

\"conductor<\/p>\n

Carmel High School Choir: A performance experience that starts before the stage<\/h2>\n

Carmel High School Choir traveled to Orlando on Thursday, Dec. 18. Their days included Disney\u2019s Hollywood Studios, Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom and time at Disney Springs before performance day at EPCOT.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, Dec. 21, Carmel headed to EPCOT for their Candlelight day. While rehearsals and warmups are intentionally closed to protect the flow of the production, the performance itself tells the story: students stepping onto a major stage in a nationally recognized holiday program.<\/p>\n

During the Processional, student singers stand with their voice parts, not with their home choir. Carmel students were visually and musically woven into a much larger ensemble of student performers from across the country.<\/p>\n

The following day brought a visit to Magic Kingdom, giving students time to relax, reflect and enjoy one of Disney\u2019s most iconic parks before concluding their trip and returning home early the next morning.<\/p>\n

\"Carmel<\/p>\n

Terre Haute North Vigo: A big moment<\/h2>\n

Terre Haute North Vigo Choir arrived by motorcoach and spent the first part of their trip creating memories across multiple major parks, including Disney\u2019s Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. They also included a day at Universal Orlando, creating a high-energy lead-up to their performance day.<\/p>\n

On Monday, Dec. 22, the group headed to EPCOT for Candlelight. The precision of the schedule and the scale of the production required students to rise quickly to the moment. It is part of what makes Candlelight such a meaningful opportunity. Students are treated as professionals, expected to deliver at a high level and trusted with a central role in a long-standing holiday tradition.<\/p>\n

After the performance, the group remained in EPCOT to experience “Luminous: The Symphony of Us”, marking the end of their time at Walt Disney World on a celebratory note. That evening also served as a natural moment of reflection, allowing students to take pride in the performance that anchored their entire trip before beginning the journey home the following day.<\/p>\n

\"Choir<\/p>\n

Why directors pursue Candlelight<\/h2>\n

For music educators, Candlelight checks boxes that are hard to find in a single opportunity.<\/p>\n