Cate School’s annual Winter by Candlelight celebration will welcome the holiday season at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 in the Katharine Thayer Cate Memorial Chapel.

The event is free and open to the public, and it will feature music by the school’s vocal and instrumental groups — the Camerata, Chorale and Orchestra. A reception in the McIntosh Room will follow.

The Orchestra will play a number of classics, including “Sleigh Ride” by Mozart and a medley of Holst pieces, and will join the Chorale for a medley of English carols. It will also perform musical themes from the movie Frozen and two medleys of holiday tunes like “Gleeful Christmas” (a Glee show medley) and “Around the World at Christmas Time.” A version of “Little Drummer Boy” will be featured as well by a pipe organist and Afro-Cuban drummers.

The Camerata will sing two pieces in Latin, one of which will feature director of instrumental music, John Knecht, on percussion. The Chorale will perform a celebratory Hannukah song as well as crowd-pleasers like “Carol of the Bells” and “Do You Hear What I Hear?”

“Winter By Candlelight is meant to be a celebration of the season in all its variety,” Knecht said. “There will be something for everyone: traditional Mozart, singalong Christmas medleys, Hanukkah tunes and a pipe organ piece blended with some world drumming.”

During the opening number, there will be a visit from Santa Claus and an appearance by the Cate faculty children.

Cate School in located at 1960 Cate Mesa Road in Carpinteria. Ample parking will be available below the Sprague Gymnasium.

— Sarah Kidwell represents Cate School.