Plains Christmas concerts draw a big audience

After weeks of practice, band and choir members with the Plains Junior High and High School music programs performed to over 200 attendees during Tuesday evening's annual Choir and Band Christmas Concert.

The event started with the Junior High School band playing their rendition of the songs “Still the First Noel,” “Bobsled Run,” and “Frosty’s Caribbean Holiday.” Following the Junior High band, the tempo of the music changed with the High School Percussion Ensemble taking the stage with their version of “Here Drums Santa Claus.” 

Following the percussion performance, high school choir members took the stage with three songs, Hear the Joy, We Three Kings, and the always poplar Carol of the Bells. 

The evenings music ended with the High School Band playing “Angels in the Bleak Midwinter,” “Wizards in Winter,” and “The Polar Express.”  Each of the performances were directed by music teacher Rhiannon Greenwood. She is a student teacher and senior at University of Montana Western. 

Special thanks go out to Pianist Jeanie Gentry for her accompaniment. 

Christmas concerts for the school continued Thursday evening with the elementary school students. 

The adage “the show must go on” rang true for the Thursday evening Plains Elementary Christmas Concert. Early in the day construction on water lines near the school caused the cancellation of school for the day. Practice for the evening’s concert was unable to happen.  

Music teacher Erin Miller said, “We had just finished setting up the stage and the water broke. We didn’t get to practice. School was canceled for the afternoon.” 

The concert started off with the kindergarten classes singing “He’ll be Comin’ Down the Chimney” and the song “Santa.” Choir members showed their excitement during the performance. Choir member Bill Dalling brought smiles from the audience during the performance of Santa. 

It was during the singing of “Angels” by the first-grade choir that 2-year-old Isabel Harson decided to join the choir. Isabel’s mom, Addie Harson, retrieved the inspired young singer bringing smiles from the audience. First graders sang the songs “We wish you a merry Christmas” and “Angels.” Second graders sang “Jolly Old St. Nicholas” and “Ring, Ring, Ring the Bells.” 

Kindergarten through second-grade choir concert saw around 150 in attendance. This was Erin Miller’s first year as the music teacher. “It went very good, and the parents cheered and there were lots of smiles,” Miller said. 

The second part of the concert saw performances from the third through sixth grades. Songs included “Frosty the Snowman” sung by third-graders and “The Little Drummer” by the fourth and fifth-graders. “The Little Drummer” was accompanied by drums and boom whackers. 

The concert ended with the fifth and sixth-grade bands, directed by Rhianon Greenwood. The fifth-grade band played the songs “Mozart Melody” and “Jingle Bells.”  Three songs played by the sixth-grade band were, “Ode to Joy,” “My Dreydl,” and “Up on the House Top.”   

High school student Django Oakcedar was the master of ceremony for the evening.  

Plains PTA members Dana Diehl and Sharon Miemi were on hand selling baked goods to support the association.

    The Plains High School Band during the annual Christmas Concert. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
  

    Plains High School Band flutist Claire Lakko. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
  

    Plains High School Choir at the annual Christmas Concert. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)