SURROUNDED BY CHARLIE Brown, Linus and Lucy, Peppermint Patty and Snoopy himself, a Costa Mesa Catholic school choir helped bring Christmas cheer through song.
St. Joachim Catholic School students performed a 45-minute concert at the Snoopy House holiday display at Costa Mesa City Hall on Dec. 17. The third- through eighth-grade choir sang 11 songs, including O Come, All Ye Faithful, O Holy Night, Joy to the World and Carol of the Bells.
“It went really good,” said a beaming fourth-grader Reagan Countess, 9, after finishing her first performance ever.
The Snoopy House is an annual tradition that features colorful displays and lights with the beloved characters from Charles Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip. The event also featured pictures with Snoopy and Santa Claus, a Christmas train and crafts for children — all free to the community.
“It’s really cool because there are a lot of decorations and a lot of lights, so it really caught my eye as we were driving past,” said St. Joachim seventh-grader Ava Kobzeff, 13, who added she was hoping to get a picture with Santa after her performance.
Her twin sister Amelia, 13, was eyeing a picture with someone else.
“I really want to take a picture with Snoopy over there,” Amelia said, pointing out the beloved black-and-white beagle. “I like Peanuts and Snoopy is one of my favorite characters.”
The original Snoopy House was started in 1966 by former Costa Mesa Mayor Willard Johnson and his family at their Eastside Costa Mesa home on Santa Ana Avenue. That tradition later passed on to live at Costa Mesa City Hall each Christmas season.
St. Joachim has been trying to give its students the opportunity to perform at Snoopy House, but this was the first year they’ve been able to snag a coveted spot. The idea was to give the students a chance to share their gifts with their community while also showcasing that the school is focused not just on academics, but the whole child, said St. Joachim Principal Kelly Botto.
Now that St. Joachim’s choir has had its moment, Botto said she hopes the experience gives them confidence in performing — something they do a lot at school, but not as much outside of St. Joachim.
“Tonight, they are going to have that opportunity to perform in front of strangers, the public,” Botto said. “So just getting that confidence in themselves and performing for others and feeling good at the end of the day, they are using their singing talents to do good in our world.”
Music director Andrew Everson said the students sing at Mass every couple of weeks, at important events (like First Communion and graduation) and at other school activities. Singing at this community event was a fun chance to mix it up, he said.
“I think it went well,” Everson said. “The kids sang great. They are very used to singing at St. Joachim but it’s kind of fun to come out and sing for something different.”
The Kobzeff twins have been members of the choir since they were in third grade. It was hearing Mater Dei High School’s choir perform that inspired Amelia to sing. Her sister Ava said she hopes the children in the audience will have the same experience.
“I hope that if there are little kids, they are inspired to sing or join choir, or sing for the community,” Ava said.
Being part of St. Joachim’s choir is “really amazing, honestly,” said fourth-grader Riley Ross, 9.
“You get to be with a group of people who like the same music you do, and it’s really fun when it all comes together,” she said.