(above) Dr. Thomas Connors will conduct the Westfield Community Concert Band for its 29th annual Holiday Concert on Thursday, December 12th at 7:30 p.m. at Edison Intermediate School, 800 Rahway Avenue, Westfield. The band will be joined by the Edison Intermediate School Broadway Singers, directed by Kenneth Horn and Stephen Markowski.
Westfield Community Concert Band – 29th Annual Holiday Concert, Dec. 12
The Westfield Recreation Department will host its 29th Annual Holiday Concert featuring the Westfield Community Concert Band and the Edison Intermediate School Broadway Singers on Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. at Edison Intermediate School, 800 Rahway Avenue, Westfield. This free public concert culminates a year-long series of performances by the Westfield Community Concert Band in celebration of the band’s 107th anniversary concert season. The band performed its first annual Holiday Concert at the Roosevelt Intermediate School in December 1990 with the Roosevelt “Sharps and Flats” chorus.
Highlighting a program of holiday favorites, the band will perform A Charlie Brown Christmas, from the renowned Charles Shulz animated special first appearing on the CBS network in 1965. This selection features the well-known compositions by jazz pianist, Vince Guaraldi, originally performed by his jazz trio.
The band’s program also includes, The Eighth Candle, a contemporary celebration of Hanukkah, by composer Steven Reistiter, Carol of the Shepherds, arranged by Philip Sparke, Fantasia for Christmas, arranged by Elliot Del Borgo, and Ukrainian Bell Carol, arranged by Philip Sparke. The band will also perform Leroy Anderson’s popular holiday composition, A Christmas Festival, written in 1950 for the Boston Pops.
The Broadway Singers will also perform a selection of holiday music featuring the choir’s unique arrangements and choreography, including We Need a Little Christmas, from the hit Broadway show, Mame, All Alone Beneath the Mistletoe,That’s Christmas to Me, Light, Jingle Bell Rock, and Un Poco Loco, from Disney’s film, Coco.
The program will conclude with a combined performance of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” with both the band and choir, an annual tradition dating back more than twenty-five years.
The Westfield Community Concert Band is conducted by Dr. Thomas Connors, now in his fifteenth season with the band. Westfield music educators Kenneth Horn and Stephen Markowski, vocal specialists in the Westfield School District, co-direct the Edison Broadway Singers.
Members of the Westfield Community Concert Band participated in Westfield’s Holiday Tree Lighting event, performing traditional Christmas music as a festive backdrop for the lighting of the Christmas tree at the north side Westfield train station along with a special appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus for hundreds of families in attendance. As the band completes its milestone 107th concert season, the band continues to seek out experienced area musicians to perform a wide variety of concert band literature for its many area concert events. Interested musicians should contact Dr. Connors through the band’s website,info@westfieldcommunityband.com. The band rehearses each Wednesday evening from 7:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the community room located in the Westfield Municipal Building 425 East Broad Street.
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