PORT ANGELES — One of the biggest winter concerts on the North Olympic Peninsula will be held Thursday, when Port Angeles High School’s bands, choirs and orchestras combine talents.
They will perform holiday favorites and winter classics at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the school’s auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave.
The Vocal Unlimited choir includes 2012 All-National Honor Mixed Choir member Beth Ann Brackett, and 2012 Washington state champion violinist Erin Hennessey will play as concertmaster of the chamber orchestra.
With musical offerings by three bands, three orchestras and four choirs, the concert offers more than two hours of music.
The finale will feature a mass performance by all 400 music students.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to see and hear teenagers at their best,” said choir instructor Jolene Dalton Gailey.
Doors open at 7 p.m. for the popular holiday concert that often fills the 1,150-seat auditorium.
The concert is free to the public.
It also will be broadcast on KONP 1450 AM, 102.1 FM and at www.konp.com.
Donations to the Port Angeles High School music program will be accepted at the concert, and the orchestra program will sell music CDs and other items to raise funds for the students’ upcoming trip to New York City, where the chamber orchestra will perform at Carnegie Hall.
This year, the high school auditorium features new lighting and sound system controls, which were funded through the efforts of the Friends of the Port Angeles Performing Arts Center.
The group has raised more than $15,000 from the community, added lights to the apron of the stage, built a production desk in the auditorium to house the sound and light equipment, and is working on a new sign that will designate the auditorium as a “performing arts center.”
More work on lighting and an outdoor performance area are among future plans.
Other Port Angeles School District winter concerts will be held. They are:
— Dry Creek Elementary School Beginning Band, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Dry Creek Elementary School, 25 Rife Road. The advanced band for grades 3-6 performed Monday night.
– Roosevelt Elementary School Band, 7 p.m. Tuesday, at Roosevelt Elementary School, 106 Monroe Road,
– Franklin, Jefferson and Roosevelt String Concert, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, at Roosevelt.
– Winter Concert, featuring Jefferson and Dry Creek strings and general music program, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at Jefferson Elementary School, 218 E. 12th St.
– Stevens Band Winter Concert, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at Stevens Middle School, 1139 W. 14th St.
– Stevens Choir Winter Concert, 7:30 p.m., Dec. 19, at Stevens.
– Stevens Orchestra Concert, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at Stevens.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.