Libby choirs perform Christmas concert
Libby school choirs performed their Christmas Program at the Libby Memorial Events Center Tuesday evening to kick off the holiday season.
The program began with members of the Libby Children’s Select Choir, the Libby Middle School Choir, the Libby Middle School Honors Choir and the Libby High School Concert Choir bringing gifts to the audience. The gifts were ornaments for Christmas trees. The program director, Libby Middle High School music teacher Lorraine Braun, said she wanted the singers to give the gifts to random members of the audience they didn’t know.
“I didn’t want them giving the gifts to their parents,” said Braun. “The whole point was for them to give something special to someone they didn’t know.”
Braun said one of the audience members cried with joy at receiving a new ornament, because the spectator didn’t have enough ornaments for her tree.
Following distribution of the gifts, Braun recited a poem entitled “The Concert Before Christmas.
Then, Braun led the choirs as they performed numerous Christmas and winter-themed songs. The concert’s program included classic songs like “Jingle Bells,” “Sleigh Ride” and “Feliz Navidad,” along with the song “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” from the Disney movie “Frozen” and an original song called “Blizzard,” composed by Libby Middle High School student Galen Graziano.
Several other musicians joined the choirs in their performance, including Mark Curtiss and Galen Graziano on drums, Mark Kreuz on guitar and members of the Libby Orchestra.
Kootenai Heritage Council light and sound technical manager Justin Lauer managed the sound and lights while Gary Huntsberger of Kootenai Heritage Council handled seating and heat. Northwestern Alto Gang Sisters, or NAGS, provided the ornaments that the singers distributed at the beginning of the night.
The Libby Children’s Select Choir performed “I Love the Snow,” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” “The Christmas Song” and “Santa Fever.”
The songs performed by the Libby Middle School Choir were “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Feliz Navidad” and “Santa Needs a Vacation,” while the school’s Honors Choir performed “A Winter Carol,” “Starry Night” and “Hannukkah Shalom.”
Finally, the High School Concert Choir performed “Sleigh Ride,” “Jingle Bells,” “Mary Did You Know?” “Blizzard,” “In the Bleak Midwinter,” “That’s Christmas to Me” and “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
At the end of the night, all of the choirs gathered on-stage together and performed “On a Starlit Night,” followed by “Silent Night.” After “Silent Night,” Braun invited the audience to sing “Silent Night” while the choirs sang “On a Starlit Night” again.
Jenny Thorstenson provided the treats that the crowd got to enjoy after the concert.
Braun said the program was a success and expressed her appreciation to those who attended.
“I would like to thank all the parents who came to support their children,” said Braun.
Braun also said the Libby community choir and orchestra will perform George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Memorial Center.