Takoma Park Holiday Concert To Feature Light Tunes and Classical Music

The program for the Holiday Concert at the Takoma Park Community Center on Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. features "a variety of music that goes from very light tunes such as 'Sleigh Ride,' all the way to the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from the 'Messiah,'" said a musician involved with the show.

"The conductors like to draw the audience in, so there are number of pieces we play that involve audience participation," Gene Herman, the program coordinator for the Takoma Park Community Band, told Patch.com. The band—which has more than 30 members—began preparing for its holiday concerts in late September, said Herman, who is a Takoma Park resident.

"There's the Christmas Sing-a-Long which has a number of traditional carols in it," Herman said, adding "And there's a Christmas portrait and Christmas recollections, and they all have within them several pieces like "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" that people are familiar with and can sing along with."

The program lasts about an hour, two 30 minute sets, with a short intermission, Herman said. The selections for the first half of the program are, "Sleigh Ride," "Le Marche des Rois,": "A Holst Christmas: 'In the Bleak Midwinter,' 'Lullay My Liking' and 'Christmas Day,'" and "Gesu Bambino," concluding with a collection of Chanukah tunes; "Chanukah is Here: 'Chanukah, Chanukah,' 'I Had a Little Dreidl' and 'Rock of Ages (Mo-oz-tur).'"

The second half opens with a collection of songs under the umbrella "Christmas Recollections," they are 'Frosty the Snow Man,' 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town," "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." The collection is followed by "Veni, Veni (O Come, O Come Emmanuel," followed by two collections. The first, "A Christmas Portrait" features "It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas," "The Christmas Song," and "We Need a Little Christmas." The Second is involves the audience because it is a "Christmas Sign-a-Long" featuring "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "Deck the Halls," "Silent Night," "The First Noel," and "Joy to the World." The program closes with the "Suite from Messiah," the "Hallelujah Chorus."

"The conductors make the choice of songs for the program; they (the conductors) are familiar with these pieces," said Herman, who plays the Baritone horn and who has been a member of the band for 30 years. "They are pretty good arrangements for a band of our size," he said.

The band is an all-volunteer organization that was founded in 197 by Crofton (Roy) Corbin, and in 1980 it became Takoma Park's official band by proclamation of the City Council.

"The band draws members from all over the Washington area, we have has several players, and we encourage people who have played musical instruments in the past to join us," Herman said. "There have been people (in the band) who haven't played their instrument for several years," he said, adding "I played in college, and I didn't play for 25 years, and I started playing again and kept right on playing."