CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER
AUBURN —
The East Alabama Community Band, led by Joshua Wine, will be performing its holiday concert on Monday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. The concert will take place at Lakeview Baptist Church in Auburn.
The band, founded 10 years ago by Mary Slaton, has grown from a small ensemble to a group of more than 50 members and would like to encourage others to join. The group practices on Monday nights from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Auburn Junior High School band room.
Admission to the concert is free, and donations are appreciated.
The East Alabama Civic Chorale will also present its annual Christmas Concert on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of Auburn First Baptist Church.
This will be the first concert presented by the chorale since 2019. Shortly after that concert, COVID restrictions mandated the chorale to cease rehearsing. The 50-voice choir is delighted to be making music once again.
The concert is comprised of a wide variety of both new and old music. Older selections will include the renaissance carol “Lo! How a Rose E’er Blooming” by Praetorius and selections from Handel’s beloved oratorio, “Messiah.” Newer selections will include compositions by John Rutter, Dan Forrest and Vicki Courtney. The concert will also include the premiere performance of “To Call My True Love,” commissioned by the Civic Chorale from composer, Charles McCartha.
“We are so pleased we could commission this work and can now give its premiere performance,” said Dale Peterson, director of the East Alabama Chorale. “It is an exciting piece setting a middle-ages text and scored for chorus, piano and string quartet.”
Liza Weisbrod is the pianist for the chorale and Jim Sikes is director emeritus. The community is cordially invited to attend this free concert. An offering will be received, half of which will be forwarded to the East Alabama Food Bank. The remainder will be used to defray the expenses of the program.