Warsaw Schools To Hold Several Performances In December
Posted
Jackie Gorski-jgorski@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw Community Schools will have several concerts this month.
At 7 p.m. Thursday at the Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center (PAC) auditorium, the Warsaw Community Schools orchestras will present their holiday concert free of charge.
Orchestra Director Angela Dieleman said the sixth-grade orchestra, Edgewood and Lakeview orchestras, Obbligato Strings and Philharmonic Orchestra will perform.
There will be a couple traditional Christmas carols and the high school orchestras will perform some remixed selections from “The Nutcracker.” Some of the pieces were chosen to showcase a couple different movements in “The Nutcracker” to tie both high school orchestras together.
Some of the music was chosen because it may be familiar to audience members, such as “Jingle Bells,” “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” and “Up On The House Top.”
Dieleman hopes the students get a sense of confidence performing the pieces on stage since, for some students, it will be their second concert performing. She hopes students feel comfortable and enjoys making music for their family and friends.
Josh Hren, choir director, said the choir concert will be 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at the PAC. The concert is free.
All five of the high school’s choirs and the Lakeview and Edgewood choirs will perform. Hren said a variety of holiday will be performed. A lot of season standards will be performed like “Silent Night” and “Carol of the Bells.”
He hopes the students get a better appreciation of the music they’re performing. He also said collaborating with the middle school choirs is a way to build the choir program at the high school.
The third concert will be the WCHS band’s Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at the PAC. The concert is free.
Mark Ziegler, head band director, said the concert is going to feature the Concert Band, Wind Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble. Traditional holiday music will be performed, which includes “Christmas Festival” and “Away in the Manger.”
He hopes the students will appreciate the difficulty level of the pieces they will be performing. For the audience, he hopes the music brings holiday cheer.
The winter dance concert will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 20 at the PAC. The concert is free.
Grace Hedington, PAC director and dance teacher, said the Honors Select Ensemble, Dance for Athletes, Dance Performance I and the outreach program Kids Dance, Warsaw! will perform Dec. 20.
Most of the songs that will be danced to are Christmas related, she said. Styles will include tap, modern and a lot of jazz. There will be a dance that includes American Sign Language.
Along with an African version of “O Holy Night,” dance numbers will include “I Saw Three Ships,” “Hey Santa” and “Joy To The World,” she said.
Hedington hopes the students learn about the joy of giving. She hopes the parents experience the students’ joy in performing.
The Fine Arts Department will put on a gala at 4 p.m. Dec. 18. Cost is $10.
Ziegler said the gala is a combination of band, orchestra, choir, theater and dance to showcase the department.
There will be two songs that will feature the entire Fine Arts Department.
During the gala, the choir will perform songs like “Mr. Sandman.”
Hedington said the dance program will also have their own piece called “Hallelujah.” The dance program will put on a combined dance with the choir to “Mary, Did You Know?”
Dieleman said the orchestra will perform two songs from Thursday’s orchestra concert at the gala.
Hedington said it’s neat to have all the fine arts programs collaborate at once. It is also good for the community to see all the programs perform together.
Hren hopes the students have a great time collaborating with each other, which isn’t something they don’t always get to do.
Dieleman said she hopes students and audience members enjoy the variety of art the department provides for students.
