How can you not feel holiday spirit when standing up at the Neldon C. Mathews Center, swaying your arms and singing ?Angels We Have Heard on High,? joined by the voices of the Panaca Elementary School, Meadow Valley Middle School and Lincoln County High School band, and the high show choir?
Such was the evening recently, with the band and choir concert Dec. 13.
The concert featured the elementary, middle and high school band, alongside the choir and show choir, celebrating Christmas a few days early. The concert was led by fine arts director Jacob Lester and included performances of ?Angels We Have Heard on High,? ??Twas The Night Before Christmas? and ?Of Kings and Christmas.?
The show illustrated the polished abilities of the young members of our community and was a loving tribute to the Christmas tunes that represent these festive days.
Junior band member Ben Culverwell remarked that this performance proved challenging, because of ?the fact that we had a lot of talented seniors leave last year, which felt like a blow to the band? because, as Culverwell explained, ?you look up to them for guidance and leadership. But I believe we really pulled through and our united efforts showed in the final performance.?
Lester commented, ?The kids love these songs and the reason they perform them so well is because they have the Christmas within them.?
The concert featured the high school choir, also led by Lester, performing holiday songs like ?Kings of Christmas.?
A lovely duet by freshmen Braiden Plunkett and Aria Reich offered a breathtaking performance of the song ?When Christmas Comes to Town.?
Plunkett remarked that he was ?extremely nervous, because when you sing in a big choir, people can overlook any mistakes. But if [you?re] doing a solo, [you] get stage fright.? However, their performance was flawless, and their rendition of the song was particularly chilling.
Likewise, the show choir?s performance was filled with special renditions of songs like ?Mary had a Baby? and ?All For a Baby.? The ensemble was composed of the graduating seniors Nathanael Frehner, Haylee Zierow and Emily Rowe, accompanied by Jessica Truman on the piano and Cody Dirks and Jake Burton on the guitar.
Congratulations to the Lincoln County Elementary School, Middle School and High School band, and the show choir, alongside their director Jacob Lester for a successful Christmas concert, and an entertaining and charming showing of what the arts department of the Lincoln County Schools has to offer this year. We?re looking forward to their next performance.