The Plymouth High School Music Department will present the fifth annual “Christmas Spectacular” show on Friday, Dec. 12 and Saturday, Dec. 13, at 7:00 p.m. in the Plymouth High School Auditorium. The show will feature all of the different ensembles in the music department as well as the talents of many small groups and solo performers. While it is sure to be an entertaining night for the community, it is just as eventful for the performers.
“What’s special is that this is the only concert that has all the ensembles together,” said senior Mariah Tepper, who will conduct the song “Believe” for one of the PHS choirs.
The choir department will feature the mixed choir, Chorale; the female choir, Counterpoint; and the top-performing vocal ensemble, Crimson Connection. “This will be my first Christmas concert here at Plymouth,” said Ryan Van Antwerp, choral director. “I’m very excited about the production as a whole.”
Fourteen orchestra students will perform 5 pieces, including Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Dreams of Fireflies (On a Christmas Night). “Every year the students get excited about performing Trans-Siberian Orchestra music because it is some of the only ‘rock’ music we play,” said orchestra director Jodi Kallenberg.
The band department will feature the symphonic band, the jazz ensemble, and the wind ensemble, which is a smaller chamber ensemble that consists of the top musicians. Its goal this year is to showcase student talent with numerous solos incorporated into each ensemble. The jazz ensemble will feature improv solos by Tyler Petzke, Eric Burch, and Austin Dixon. The wind ensemble will incorporate a string quartet from the orchestra and the piano skills of choir accompanist Allison Rader. In addition, the wind ensemble will perform two selections featuring flute solos by Ashley Crosby and additional solos by Eric Burch and Anna Piazza.
“This year, we have really tried to put the focus on student talents. We have so many kids in our programs that achieve at a high level. I wanted to really focus on individual effort with the smaller ensembles and make student solos a focal point. I am very proud of the effort our soloists have put into this event,” said band director Bryan Ames. For example, freshman Jonas Standley will perform a piano and vocal solo. Additional performances for the evening include the high school color guard performing a dance routine and the percussion section from the wind ensemble.
While the music department pleases the audience’s ears, the theatre department will captivate their eyes. Responsible for all of the lighting and sound effects both evenings, the high school theater department has been hard at work to create the scenery and sound effects.
Tickets will go on sale beginning at 6:15 p.m. and the doors will open at 6:30 p.m. on both evenings. Ticket price for the show is $5 per person. Preschool-aged children may attend for free.
