Correction: The Tuesday article, “Choirs add drama to holiday concert,” incorrectly quoted Eric Johnson, concert and chamber choir director and head of the choral department, as saying, “One exciting thing is that we’ve commissioned DeKalb community member Tim Blickhan, who is a DeKalb community member … .”

Johnson said, “One exciting thing is that we’ve commissioned Dr. Tim Blickhan, who is a DeKalb community member … .”

Singers ages 7 to 70 will perform at the 17th annual choral holiday concert Sunday.

The festive concert will include three NIU choirs and two community ensembles and will feature the world premiere of Tim Blickhan’s “The Lands That See The Sun Arise.” Eric Johnson, concert and chamber choir director and head of choral department, said the concert will offer a multimedia experience from different angles of Boutell Memorial Concert Hall.

“One exciting thing is that we’ve commissioned DeKalb community member Tim Blickhan, who is a DeKalb community member who used to teach at the NIU School of Music,” Johnson said. “He’s written a piece for us that’s called ‘The Lands That See the Sun Arise,’ so it’ll be a world premiere performance, never heard before, and it’s written specifically for our NIU concert choir … .”

Johnson said the pricing for the event, which allows children ages 7 and younger to attend for free, was a way to get families interested in attending the concert.

“I want to encourage families to come, and sometimes it gets expensive when you’re paying for lots of little children to come to a concert,” Johnson said. “I think it’s important that our children come and see live concerts and hear live music.”

Jared Ortega, junior music education major, said this concert will be beneficial to anyone experiencing grief as it will provide comforting music.

“It’s your traditional kind of carol with a dramatic spin because it uses rhythmic progressions that aren’t typically found in your Christmas carols,” Ortega said. “So, I think that’s why it’s been hard for us to wrap our heads around it, but I think that one’s going to be the most fun of the entire concert.”

Jordan Pedigo, sophomore music education major, said he hopes the concert will be an emotional experience for attendees.

Johnson “understands music on an emotional level and a technical level, so it’s good to get those two different perspectives,” Pedigo said. “I would like the audience to go on an emotional journey with us. We’re having sad songs, happy songs, and for them to be able to get some of the emotions that we’re trying to convey.”