The Opera House at Enosburg Falls presents an afternoon of Holiday Music and Song featuring the Enosburg Town Band and the Community Chorus on Sunday. This annual family event celebrates traditional music in Franklin County's historic theater. The program is part of the Community Treasures Series. The concert will include traditional and contemporary seasonal music. HOLIDAY CONCERT
"The Community Chorus has about 35 members this year," said chorus director Jay Sheperd. "We're doing nine numbers, four of which are unaccompanied."
The choral highlight is the a capella Mary Did You Know arranged by Jay Sheperd for this chorus. It's fun to do an arrangement because "you can hear what it sounds like" and write for the voices in the chorus instead of just writing the music.
The concert will also include the hymn Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light by J. S. Bach, a different arrangement of It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, and a new carol, Beautiful Star of Bethlehem by Adger Boyce and Fisher Pace plus the traditional spiritual Shout for Joy and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Verne Colburn is the accompanist.
The Town Band will play Christmas medleys, traditional music, "and a variety of secular and sacred music," director Alisa Martin said. The program includes White Christmas, O Come O Come Emanuel and Christmas Carillon, an arrangement of Ding Dong Merrily on High. "It's a really energetic arrangement," she said. The piece will feature Norm Lavallee on bells. They will close with Sleigh Ride by LeRoy Anderson, an Enosburg Town Band tradition.
"The band is about 40 strong this year," Ms. Martin said. It has an interesting makeup with music teachers and students, farmers and entrepreneurs, and teachers and administrators. The Chorus also has "quite a few younger people, which is encouraging," Mr. Sheperd said.
This Town Band is the oldest in Vermont. The volunteer musicians range in age from 11 to over 70. They have never missed a season. Director Alisa Martin is a music teacher in Enosburg schools.
Both the Town Band and the Community Chorus recruit new members any time. "Music is a lifelong pursuit," Ms. Martin said.
Admission is free but donations are gladly, indeed gleefully accepted. The Holiday Concert will begin at the Opera House on Sunday at 2 p.m.
123 Depot Street
Post Office Box 1250
Enosburg Falls, Vermont 05450
802.933.6171
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