The Ovid-Elsie music program had performances on Tuesday, Dec. 7, in Donald G. Thayer Auditorium at Ovid-Elsie High School.
During the Fazoli’s dinner, which was a massive fundraiser for the OE band, the high school jazz band performed. They played some Christmas music, like Baby, It’s Cold Outside and Joy to the World. Some of the other selections they played were Chameleon and Alligator Boogaloo.
The first ensemble that performed after dinner was the sixth grade band. This was a big night, as this was their first concert ever. Some of their songs were Jingle Bells, Up on the Housetop, Hot Cross Buns, and other holiday features performed by each section.
Next up was the combined seventh and eighth grade classes, who played Frosty the Snowman, Christmas Isn’t Christmas Without a Little Rock ‘n Roll, and some Halloween pieces, as their October concert was canceled due to COVID-19. This was the first performance for the seventh grade students, and the first time the eighth graders had performed since their sixth grade year.
Following the middle school ensembles was the high school band. They played familiar tunes Carol of the Bells and Feliz Navidad, and mashups of holiday favorites in their other two pieces, Santa at the Symphony and Reindeer Rag. After weeks of hard work, these musicians finally got to show off what they had learned in a festive way. All Ovid-Elsie bands are led under the direction of Jeanine Ignash.
After the instrumentalists had left the stage, the high school choir took over. Led by Director Mandy Bashore, they performed a few holiday tunes, the most familiar being Silent Night. With fun choreography and strong vocals, this was a great way to lead into the last ensemble of the night: the Ovid-Elsie Marching Band.
The Marching Marauders took the stage for the last marching performance of the year. They opened with the OEHS Fight Song, getting the crowd excited. They then performed their show songs from this Fall, under drum major Bo Hammond. These songs were Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Viva la Vida, and Cars. They closed out the show with another play-through of the fight song, and made their way off of the stage.
After a long night of wonderful music, the young musicians should be very proud of themselves. Special congratulations to the seniors who performed at their last holiday concert. You can see the OE High School band and seventh and eighth grade ensemble next at Thayer Auditorium on February 16 at 7 p.m. for their annual Pre-Festival Concert.
