The noon hour turned festive Tuesday, Dec. 17, in the John Colloton Pavilion at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, as the Faculty-Staff Orchestra performed five pieces, concluding the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah. Orchestra director Mark Bernat offered the audience a challenge (along with sheet music): Try to drown out the orchestra with your voices. While the vocal element didn’t overwhelm the music, it did provide ample accompaniment.

This was the orchestra’s fifth year performing the concert and sing-along. In addition to performing the Handel piece, the ensemble played works by Beethoven, Mozart, Dvorak, and Jean Sibelius.