The fifth annual St. Francis of Assisi Home for the Holidays Music Concert will feature the choir and instrumentalists from Washington University’s Catholic Student Center, or CSC.

The concert will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, at the church, 4556 Telegraph Road.

The CSC choir started as a small contemporary ensemble of a few singers and musicians and has expanded to include two choirs as well as an array of instrumentalists, including percussion, string, woodwind and brass.

The group draws both undergraduate and graduate students, alumni and members of the Washington University community.

The Home for the Holidays theme particularly is fitting this year because the choir’s director, Joe Schoen, is a graduate and former parishioner of St. Francis School and Parish, according to a news release.

The parish is eager to welcome him home for this concert, the release stated. His mother, Janet, has been a parishioner at St. Francis for more than 45 years.

Schoen is in his second year of ministry at the CSC and also is the music teacher at Tillman Elementary School in the Kirkwood School District.

While at Tillman, his chorus, “Vocal Edge,” has grown from 25 students to 60 in just one year.

He previously served as parish music director at Mary, Queen of the Universe, St. David, St. James the Greater and St. Martin de Porres. Schoen recently received a Kevin Kline Award for outstanding musical direction for his work on “Godspell” with the Mustard Seed Theatre.

The hourlong concert will feature Advent and Christmas music, signature holiday music from the CSC, as well as a singalong. The event is free, but a freewill offering will be accepted to help fund the music programs at St. Francis, as well as the parish’s instruments.

For more information about the concert, call (314) 487-5736.