Program for Slater school's instrumental music holiday concert

Slater school students held their "Just say... 'Merry Christmas'" instrumental music program Wednesday, Dec. 9, in Alexander Auditorium under the direction of Jim Mize.

Students enrolled in the fundamentals of music class who played "Ode to Joy," "Jambalaya," "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Jingle Bells" include Kayla Breshears, Patrick Carmack, Charlton Head, Amber Hudson, William Jacobson, Tristen Kenrick, Hunter Miller, Madison Miller, Johnathan Parker, Joel Pittman, Mariah Pullen, Brett Rose, Christina Stith and Destiny Todd.

Fifth- and sixth-grade band members Elizabeth Johnson, Nick Ess, Seth Ferguson, Jeffery Kennedy, Anthony Martin, Andrea McFarlane, Andrew Miller, Ryan Smith, Caitlyn Clements, Dalton Griffith, Virgil Hostetter, Kloie James, William Scott, Lindsey Smith, Amanda Reynolds, Kara Davis, Carly Grimes, Alexis Whitney, Brice Breshears, Mickayla Jones, Lauren Reeter and Brendon Galloway played "My Dreydel," "Jolly Old St. Nick" and "Jingle Bells."

Soloists for the junior/senior high school band were Brandon Pointer, who played clarinet on "The Christmas Parade Medley;" Jacob Reeter, who played flute on "Angels We Have Heard on High" while accompanied by Kurtley Taylor on the piano; flutist Autumn Steinhardt, who played on "Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel;" clarinetist Jessy Krumsiek, who played "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen;" percussionist Mike Davis, who played "Little Drummer Boy;" and Taylor, who played alto saxophone on "Jingle Bells." Steinhardt and Taylor then played a duet of "Silent Night," with Steinhardt on the flute and Taylor on the piano.

The junior/senior high school band also played "Holiday Celebration," "White Christmas/Sleigh Ride," "The Polar Express" and "We Wish You a Jazzy Christmas," as well as a Christmas pops sing-along arranged by James Ployhar.

Others thanked for their assistance in the production include Ragena Mize on flute, Marci Fandrich on trumpet, Heather Moore on French horn, Chris Moore on trombone, Tonya Eddy on bass, Nancy Thompson on keyboard and Superintendent of Slater schools John McEachern, who spoke on the topic of what Christmas should be about.