Although school was canceled several days last week due to illness, the Alpena High School Symphony Band and Wind Ensemble were able to perform their concert, titled ‘Tis the Season to be Jolly, on Thursday, Dec. 15.

Then on Tuesday, the choirs from Thunder Bay Junior High and Alpena High performed a combined concert at the AHS auditorium, featuring a carol sing-a-long with the audience, and ending with a beautiful rendition of “Silent Night,” in which the students stood in the aisles around the audience to provide true “surround sound.”

Choir soloists included Ella Campbell, Mia Zielaskowski, Sophia Storey, Kiera Jones, Araceli Needham, Rylin Ison, Meya Bicker, EmmyLeigh Meese, Aiden Parris, Lillian Skowronek, Annette Faircloth, Zahmyra Loesch, Lorelei Krentz, Vivian Furtaw, and JoLyne Sigmon.

Jazz Combo students who provided transition music between bands were Nicholas Lusardi, Connor Caplis, Stephanie Nowland, William Bushey, Hannah Tracey, Mason Hinkley, Tyler Cloft, and Wesley Decker.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Above, The Alpena High Symphony Band performs “Ukrainian Bell Carol” on Dec. 15, directed by Brad Beyer, who also directs the Thunder Bay Junior High bands.

AHS Band Director Brad Beyer was happy the students were able to perform their holiday concert, despite school being canceled that day. They have been practicing the concert pieces since mid-October, he said.

“Overall, they did a very nice job,” Beyer said of the students. When selecting music, he said he tries to match it to their strengths. “I think of where they’re at, and how I can help them grow as musicians.”

AHS and TBJH Choir Director Julie Wood accompanied her choirs on piano. She said the students helped her select which songs they wanted to sing.

“I think it’s really important for the kids to have the responsibility, number one, to understand what goes into planning a concert like that,” Wood said. “And also, any time that they have voice and choice in what they’re learning or how they learn it, then they’re more likely to participate in a positive way.”

Choir pieces included “White Christmas,” “Santa Claus, Santa Claus, You Are Much too Fat,” “One Wish,” “The Chipmunk Song,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Mary Did You Know,” “Do You Hear What I Hear?” “Christmas Time is Here,” “O Holy Night,” and “Night of Silence/Silent Night.”

“If you pick music that they enjoy, they’re going to work harder and achieve a higher level of success,” Wood added.

TBJH students were from the Intro to Choir class and the Thunder Bay Singers, and Alpena High students were from the AHS Chorale and the AHS Concert Choir.

“It’s important for the students and the parents to see the progression of ability,” Wood said about having a combined concert. “And it gives an opportunity to do some different levels of music,” and see how they can all work together.

She said singing to a packed auditorium is a big confidence booster for the students, too.

“We had a great audience,” Wood said. “It was so nice to see that the auditorium was full on the whole lower level and the lower balconies. That’s exciting for the students to go out there and sing to a full house.”

Wood was glad they were able to get the concert in, since illness has been going around, and a big snowstorm was looming ahead.

“The kids worked so hard every day in class,” Wood said. “We worked a lot on being like a family, so there’s a respect among all of us, and hearing the progression from my students in sixth grade, who were fantastic, up to the audition-only choir … it makes me incredibly proud of them.”

She added that showcasing their talents brought joy to the students, as well.

“They could tell that they had a good performance,” Wood said. “As they voiced that to me, that brings great joy to me, also.”

The performances brought Christmas joy to the audience as well, full of proud parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, and community members.