Held on December 7, 2025, the 66th Annual Trinity College Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols marks the beginning of the holiday season for the Greater Hartford community. This service is offered to all as a moment of comfort and hope. More information is at www.trincoll.edu/lessonsandcarols.

Hark the Herald Angels Sing, arr. Houlihan by Trinity College

Trinity’s iconic Chapel hosted a performance by Christopher Houlihan ’09, John Rose Distinguished College Organist, director of Chapel music, and artist-in-residence. Commentary was delivered by Michael A. Grubb, associate professor of psychology, based on his seminar, “Exploring Awe,” which was offered in collaboration with Houlihan at Trinity’s Rome campus as part of last year’s January Term. He said that this unique collaboration is an example of how the arts and sciences can meet.

The second symposium explored the bridging of knowledge and practice as a hallmark of a distinctive liberal arts education. Award-winning teacher-scholars from Trinity’s faculty discussed their boundary-spanning work and its public impact, whether in Hartford, nationally, or globally. Moderated by Jennifer M. Regan-Lefebvre, professor of history, the panel included: Davarian L. Baldwin, Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of American Studies; Shafqat Hussain, George and Martha Kellner Chair in South Asian Studies; Michelle Kovarik, Dr. Henry A. DePhillips, Jr. Professor of Chemistry; and Kevin J. McMahon, John R. Reitemeyer Professor of Political Science.

This symposium explored the role of creativity as an essential human practice. Faculty from across disciplines reflected on how creativity shapes their scholarship and teaching, the complex and evolving role of technology, and the value of preparing all students to think creatively in a digital world. Moderated by Laura J. Holt ’00, professor of psychology, the panel included: Sarah Bilston, Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of English; Pablo Delano, Charles A. Dana Professor of Fine Arts; Kent D. Dunlap, Thomas S. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Biology; and Ewa Syta, Charles A. Dana Research Associate Professor of Computer Science.

Trinity College Associate Professor of English David Sterling Brown ’06 recently was invited to take part in England’s weeklong Shakespeare Birthday Celebration as its inaugural visiting scholar. Brown delivered a speech on April 27, 2025, at the Town Hall in Stratford-Upon-Avon—William Shakespeare’s birthplace—about what The Bard’s work means to him.

The 65th annual Trinity College Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols was held on Sunday, December 8, 2024, a service that was offered as a shared moment of comfort and hope. A PDF of the order of service is available here https://www.trincoll.edu/spiritualandreligiouslife/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2024/11/Lessons-and-Carols-Program-2024-for-web.pdf The festivals, offered at two times, featured the Chapel Singers; Trinity College Gospel Choir; Ellen Dickinson, college carillonist; Elijah Morris ’28, organ; Madison Thompson ’25, organ; Chris Yi ’26, organ; Christopher Houlihan ’09, John Rose Distinguished College Organist, Director of Chapel Music, and Artist-in-Residence; The Very Rev. Marcus George Halley, chaplain to the college; and The Rt. Rev. Laura J. Ahrens, Bishop Suffragan, The Episcopal Church in Connecticut.

Moderated by Professor Ben Carbonetti, Senior Lecturer in Human Rights and Director of The Human Rights Program at Trinity College, the first episode of the Bridging Divides podcast features Professor of Political Science Mira Sucharov from Carleton University in Canada and Professor of Law Omar Dajani from University of the Pacific. Their collaboration acknowledges the pain and struggle of finding common ground in conversations that represent Jewish and Palestinian viewpoints as they model how to disagree without being disagreeable.

"Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" arr. Christopher Houlihan by Trinity College

"Sing to the Lord a New Song" by David Hurd, sung by The Chapel Singers by Trinity College

Trinity College hosted its 64th annual Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols in the Chapel on Sunday, December 10, marking the beginning of the holiday season for the Greater Hartford community. Lessons and Carols is offered to all as a moment of comfort and hope. In its recounting of the Christmas story, the service involves the reading of nine lessons, each followed by the singing of a carol. Contributions to a freewill offering supported students in need, as well as international humanitarian relief efforts. This year’s special Bicentennial event featured a newly commissioned work by David Hurd, a setting of a portion of Psalm 96, “Sing to the Lord a New Song,” dedicated to Trinity College Board of Trustees Chair Lisa Bisaccia ’78 and Robert Naparstek, whose generosity has supported the Chapel Music Program. The program also featured music by alumni and community composers Paul Lindsley Thomas ’50; Dudley Buck, Class of 1859; Robert Edward Smith, Chapel composer-in-residence since 1979; and Douglas Bruce Johnson, professor of music, emeritus. To see this year’s full program, visit www.trincoll.edu/LessonsAndCarols