The orchestra Christmas concert was held on Dec.13 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. The orchestra played both popular holiday songs and less popular arrangements. 

“It’s fun to play stuff that everybody recognizes and also brings joy to people this time of year,” orchestra teacher Amy Eichers said.

The Spartan Orchestra played “Veni Veni Emmanuel” by Michael John Trotta, “Festival of Lights” aar. Robert S. Frost and “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Felicano and arr. Rosenhaus. 

The Chamber Orchestra played “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Movt. 1” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and “The Rainbow Connection” by Williams & Asher and arr. Marsh.

The Concert Orchestra played “Themes from Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)” by Ludwig van Beethoven and arr. McCashin, “Coventry Carol” by arr. John Lloyd and “Silent Night” by Franz Gruber and arr. Turner.

The orchestras played three pieces all together. They opened with “Carol of the Bells” by Mykola Leontovych. In the end, they brought in the band wind, brass, and percussion to play “The Joy of Christmas” arr. by Bob Cerulli and “A Vaughan Williams Christmas” arr. by Douglas Wagner.

“My favorite piece is Feliz Navidad. The best part of the song is probably just the chorus and how it’s such a familiar song,” sophomore Alex Lane said.

“I like all of the pieces we are practicing, they all have great sound, but if I could pick one, it would be The Joy of Christmas because, for the basses, it’s very repetitive, but it’s very satisfying to play. It’s nice to listen to violins playing,” sophomore Truman Moore said. 

“I think we are all doing pretty good pieces that are just challenging enough that we’re learning stuff, but they’re not impossible to play,” sophomore and concertmaster Samantha Brill said.

In March, the orchestra will be having their pops concert. Also, they plan to go caroling this year as they did in the past, but they didn’t do it last year because of COVID-19.