It happens every year.

For forty-two years the Vocal Arts Ensemble has sung in the  holidays on the first weekend of December. The venues have changed over the years except for one. That would be the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. Regardless of your religious affiliation, if any, the Mission is a magical place at this time of year.

This year, as we have for the last few years, we started the concert series in an unlikely place. A country club “community” room. The acoustics are rather flat. The lighting a little harsh. But the assembled community LOVES the music. When we started using this venue we had a very small audience. Maybe 50 people.

Last night, there were 181 people packed into that room. Where there used to be a lot of room in the back, there were chairs filled with people. They had come to hear us sing. Our reputation had spread and they were ready for some excellent choral music.

What they didn’t expect was to hear a young man who had never before sung in public. He had never been in a choir or any singing group. He had played instruments and knew how to read music. He sang when he was alone. To himself and for himself. He never considered anything else.

Until last night.

Listen to the passions of Tim Guerrero in Mary Did You Know.

If you would like to hear this incredible voice in the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa or the Cuesta College Performing Arts Center, go to http://www.vocalarts.org and get your tickets. There are a few good seat left.

Yes, that is an unabashed plug for the Vocal Arts.

But it is also a reminder to everyone that there is music all around us. Sometimes, it hides. Sometimes, it is just where we thought it might be. Sometimes, we just have to listen. The music will find us.

May this season of many, many holidays bring you music and love and laughter. It is all there is we just listen.