The Lakeland College Music Department held their annual Christmas concert on Saturday, Dec. 1 and on Sunday, Dec. 2 as a part of the Christmas at Lakeland 2012 celebration. The Concert Band, Frauenchor, and Concert Choirs all performed.

President Grandillo welcomed the concert-goers, and he was followed by the students in the Concert Band, who were the first to perform. They started out with a vibrant march called Amparito Roca which was composed by Jaime Texidor.

Among their other songs, the audience particularly liked the Muskie Combo’s rendition of We Three Kings. The Muskie Combo is a jazz group consisting of six members: Kyle Stowers on trumpet, Malcolm Blakley on alto saxophone, Jared Ertman on trombone, Thomas Pibal on drums, Andrew Kay on piano, and Cody Linder on bass. After this, the Concert Band came together for one last spirited Christmas melody, entitled A Christmas Festival, which featured a blend of many classic Christmas tunes.

After the Concert Band’s chairs were cleared away and replaced with rows of risers for the singers, all members of the choirs proceeded to the stage while singing Personent Hodie, which was arranged by Lara Hoggard. This part of the performance was very dramatic.

Next to perform was the Frauenchor (women’s choir), who were conducted by Lani Knutson, along with the piano accompaniment of Dr. Olga M. Rua. Their third song, I Wonder as I Wander, was particularly beautiful, and it featured the mezzo-soprano soloist Kimmie Singer. The last song they sang was the Hawaiian tune Mele Kalikimaka. The audience couldn’t help but laugh when the women pulled leis out of their folders to wear throughout the performance of the song.

The members of the Concert Choir returned to the stage after this, and they were conducted by Janet L. Herrick, with Dr. Arthur T. Johnson accompanying them on the piano. The first two songs they sang were classic Christmas songs: O Come, All Ye Faithful and Deck the Halls, but it was after these that it became apparent who the star of the show would be.

Senior Cody Linder, bass baritone, sang a solo piece titled O Holy Night. He did a spectacular job and when he finished singing, he received a standing ovation from the audience.

At this point, conductor Janet Herrick said a few words about the three seniors in the choir who will be leaving Lakeland after this semester: Gregor Wunderlich, Aaron Kraemer, and Linder. She spoke about each one of them in turn, and was even beginning to tear up. The choir ended with a rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas that was very enjoyable and funny because it had a nontraditional style that allowed it to switch between different songs, and included comic bits that the audience loved.

After a Christmas blessing by Rev. Robert Sizemore, the Concert Choir finished the show by singing Silent Night. They ended as they had entered, walking down the aisles out into the audience. This time, however, they had lit candles in hand. Gregor Wunderlich, tenor, had a solo that was sung in German.

When the concert was over, it was obvious that the audience was satisfied with the performances that day. The beginning of December is the perfect time to get into the Christmas spirit, and what better way than being serenaded with holiday songs from Lakeland’s musicians? The Lakeland College Christmas Concert did not disappoint.