Carols, hymns and traditional Christmas compositions will be performed at school holiday concerts across the North Olympic Peninsula for the next two weeks, starting today with two performances in Port Angeles.
All concerts are free to the public. Donations are accepted to help support music programs in the schools.
Refreshments are available for purchase at many but not all concerts.
The concerts include two of the largest concerts of the year — the Port Angeles High School Holiday Concert on Dec. 15 and Port Townsend’s Stringfest on Saturday.
The Port Angeles High School Holiday Concert, which features four bands, three orchestras and four choirs, as well as a symphonic performance with all groups, will include traditional and modern holiday music and a sing-along.
The two-hour concert is free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted for the music program.
Guests are encouraged to arrive early for the popular annual event showcasing student musicians.
The holiday music extravaganza typically attracts an audience of about 1,200.
Stringfest
The annual Port Townsend Stringfest concert features more than 100 string orchestra students from Port Townsend High School, OCEAN, Blue Heron Middle School, Grant Street Elementary, the Swan School, the PI program and home-schooled students.
There will be a variety of musical selections performed, from classical to modern, concluding with a traditional holiday selection.
2015 winter/holiday concerts
Today
■6 p.m. — Dry Creek Elementary (Port Angeles) third-through-sixth-grade general music concert, Dry Creek gym, 25 Rife Road.
â– 7 p.m. — Franklin and Jefferson (Port Angeles) elementaries’ sixth-grade band and choir, Jefferson gym, 218 E. 12th St.
Tuesday
■7 p.m. — Chimacum Elementary band, Chimacum school auditorium, 91 West Valley Road.
■7 p.m. — Stevens Middle School (Port Angeles) string orchestras, Stevens gymnasium, 1139 W. 14th St.
Wednesday
â– 6:30 p.m. — Franklin, Roosevelt and Jefferson (Port Angeles) elementaries’ string orchestras, Roosevelt gym, 106 Monroe Road.
■6:30 p.m. — Hamilton Elementary (Port Angeles) third-through-sixth-grade general music concert, Hamilton gym, 1822 W. Seventh St.
■7 p.m. — Sequim Middle School band, Sequim Middle gymnasium, 301 W. Hendrickson Road.
Thursday
■2 p.m. — Forks junior and senior high school bands, Forks High School commons, 261 Spartan Ave.
■6 p.m. — Crescent School (Joyce) all-music concert, Crescent School gym, 50350 state Highway 112.
■6:30 p.m. — Dry Creek (Port Angeles) wind band and string orchestra, Dry Creek gym.
■7 p.m. — Port Townsend High School band, Port Townsend High auditorium, 1500 Van Ness St.
■7 p.m. — Hamilton and Roosevelt (Port Angeles) band concert, Roosevelt gym.
Saturday
■3 p.m. — Port Townsend Winter Stringfest, Port Townsend High auditorium.
Dec. 14
■6:30 p.m. — Jefferson Elementary (Port Angeles) third-through-fifth-grade general music concert, Jefferson gym.
Dec. 15
■6:30 p.m. — Blue Heron Middle School (Port Townsend) band, Blue Heron gym, 3939 San Juan Ave.
■7:30 p.m. — Sequim Middle choirs, Sequim Middle gym.
■7:30 p.m. — Port Angeles High School Holiday Concert, PAHS auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave.
Dec. 16
■6 p.m. — Neah Bay Elementary band and jazz band, Neah Bay gym, 3560 Deer St.
■7 p.m. — Forks Intermediate School band and jazz band, Forks High School commons.
■7 p.m. — Sequim High School choir, Sequim High auditorium, 601 N. Sequim Ave.
■7 p.m. — Stevens Middle School (Port Angeles) choir, Stevens gym.
Dec. 17
■6:30 p.m. — Forks Elementary general music, Forks Elementary gym, 301 S. Elderberry Ave.
■7 p.m. — Sequim High bands, Sequim High auditorium.
■7 p.m. — Chimacum Elementary holiday concert, Chimacum school auditorium.
■7:30 p.m. — Stevens Middle School (Port Angeles) bands, Stevens gym.