SILER CITY, N.C. — Student musicians ring in the holiday season at Jordan-Matthews High School next week with two free public concerts featuring instrumental and choral music.
“Holiday Band Concert: A Celebration of the Season” is headlined by the JM Concert Band directed by teacher JC Harper. The band plans to perform Themes from the Nutcracker Suite, Christmas Concerto, Selections from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and Sleigh Ride. The evening also includes two numbers by the JM Guitar Ensemble and a violin performance by sophomore Quinn Woolford. The band concert is Monday, Dec. 12, 7 p.m., in the JM Auditorium.
“Holiday Choral Concert: A Celebration of the Season,” a companion concert later in the week, features two class-based ensembles — The Choral Jets and The Mini Petersons — followed by performances by The Golden Tones a cappella group and a Combined Chorus drawn from the two class-based ensembles. The evening concludes with a longtime JM tradition — “Carol of the Bells” — a Ukrainian carol that carries a particular poignance this year as Ukrainian families defend their nation and culture in an unprovoked war. The choral concert, with all ensembles directed by 2022-23 Chatham County Schools Beginning Teacher of the Year Elliott Peterson, is Wednesday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m., in the JM Auditorium.
Admission to JM’s single holiday concert in previous years was based on a small contribution used to strengthen the local community. Because there will be two concerts this year, admission to each will be free. But JMArts will still accept donations of nonperishable food items for the West Chatham Food Pantry to help families in our community and contributions of any amount to JMArts to continue providing a full range of arts opportunities for students regardless of their family’s financial status.
JMArts President Rose Pate says every donation helps support programs for students, including registration for chorus and band members to participate in the Carowinds Festival of Music this spring. “We are happy to see the full reawakening of all our performance classes this fall,” said Pate. ”There's no better way to celebrate the spirit of the holiday season than with music.”
More information about JMArts, including a schedule of all upcoming arts events and information on membership, is available online at JMArts.org.
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Soloist Courtney Shackelford, right, performs with the Jordan-Matthews Chorus during the 2021 Holiday Concert, one of the early performances after in-person classes resumed during the pandemic. (Photo by Chip Pate)
Clarinetists Tracy Alston, from left, Karsyn Vann and Christian García Torres perform with the Jordan-Matthews Concert Band during last year’s Holiday Concert. (Photo by Chip Pate)