Ponca City Public Schools Holiday Concert is Thursday December 2nd

The Ponca City Public Schools Elementary, Middle, Advanced Philharmonic and Symphony Strings Orchestras will present their annual Holiday concert on Thursday, December 2, 2021.

This concert will be split into two performances to accommodate social distancing in the holding areas for students. The first performance will begin at 7 p.m. in the Ponca City Schools Concert Hall. The concert will open with the 129-member fifth-grade orchestra performing Rolling Along, Good King Wenceslas and Jingle Bells. Select members of the Philharmonic and Symphony Strings Orchestra will accompany the fifth-grade orchestra, under the direction of Ella Gordon and Katie Rolf.

The second performance begins with the 54-member 6th Grade Orchestra taking the stage to perform John O’Reilly’s creative, all-pizzicato piece entitled Pizzicato Magic. The group will then perform a holiday favorite, Jolly Old St. Nicholas. The sixth-grade orchestra is under the direction of Katie Rolf and Ella Gordon.

The program continues with the 44-member seventh-grade orchestra, under the direction of Ella Gordon. Their first piece is an energetic piece, Aftershock, composed by Larry Clark. Their second piece highlights the lower strings in Rob Grice’s Defender of Time.

The seventh-grade orchestra will conclude their portion of the concert with Jingle Bell Rock, arranged by Bruce Chase.

Following that will be the 31-member eighth-grade orchestra, under the direction of Katie Rolf. The eighth-grade orchestra will open with Sean O’Loughlin’s fun Intensity. This piece is being conducted by cello technician and Po-Hi Alumni, Cassidy Broome. They continue the concert with the energetic piece, Secret Agent 440 by Carrie Gruselle. They conclude their portion of the concert with Robert Longfield’s arrangement of the familiar, toe-tapping classic, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

To conclude the concert, the sixth through eighth-grade orchestras will combine on stage to perform the traditional holiday tune Jingle Bells.

Selected members of the Philharmonic and Symphony Strings Orchestra will accompany the orchestra on Thursday. Paula Cochran, District Instrumental Music Coordinator, will accompany the orchestras on the piano. Andrew Orr, Director of Percussion, will play the drums.

There is no admission charge and the public is invited to attend this Holiday Concert.