Symphonic Band Ends Semester with Christmas Concert
Douglas Boultinghouse
Arts & Entertainment Editor
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| Photo by Douglas Boultinghouse |
| Christmas Concert - The University of Arkansas-Symphonic Band held a Christmas Concert Dec. 8 in the Fine Arts Center Auditorium. Conductor John Webb led the concert. |
The University of Arkansas-Monitcello Symphonic Band held a Christmas Concert in the Fine Arts Center Auditorium Thursday, Dec. 8.
Beginning at 7:30 p.m. the band led by John Webb, conductor and assistant to the dean for Music, filled the auditorium with Christmas spirit.
The night began with a version of Leroy Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival.” The medley included holiday classics such as “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World.” The piece served a great opener for the evening.
The band followed with “Midnight Sleighride,” a piece Webb called jazzy and fun to play. The number featured a series of bells sounding like those of a sleigh. The song closed with large applause from the audience.
The evening included performance of the spiritual pieces “The Old Hundredth Psalm Tune” and “Go Tell It On The Mountain.”
The night also brought a different version of “Jingle Bells,” sounding much slower that one would expect but still familiar and mesmerizing at the same time.
Before closing with “Sleigh Ride,” a piece that brought the Christmas spirit to life and earned the band a standing ovation, the band performed something interesting.
The band performed “Selections from ‘Home Alone’.”
The piece went back and forth from calm to lively, suspenseful to Christmas-spirited. The selections could actually be placed to parts of the movie. The performance included an enchanting bell solo.
Webb thanked the audience for attending and wished them a “Merry Christmas.”
Webb said he thought the students performed well.
“It was nice to be able to do a Christmas concert,” he said. “I’m really proud of the kiddos. They didn’t have much time to practice. They did very well.”
Sissy Pierce, the band instructor at Rison High School, brought her students to the show.
“I wanted my band students to see what they can become with a little practice,” she said. “It was fabulous.”
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