The Ozark Festival Orchestra will continue its 45th season with its Christmas concert at 3 p.m. on Dec. 15 at the Monett High School Performing Arts Center.
Under the baton of music director Carla Wootton, the Orchestra, based in Monett, will combine forces with a community choir to offer a salute to the holiday season. The spritely “Farandole” peasant chain dance from “Carmen” composer Georges Bizet will set the celebratory tone.
The community choir, under the direction of Trent Oliphant, will help the OFO present three Christmas songs by film composer John Williams for the 1990 movie “Home Alone.” The concert will continue with several medleys of modern seasonal selections, presentations of more traditional Christmas carols, and some surprising atmospheric arrangements of the “Appalachian Carol” featuring the cello section, and “Mary’s Song: Breath of Heaven” with additional voices.
Rounding out the concert will be old favorites: Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” from “Messiah” and Leroy Anderson’s delightful “Sleigh Ride,” led by a guest conductor who won the “Golden Baton” at the Orchestra’s April fundraiser concert.
A performance by young string students from OFO’s new Strings Program, under the leadership of their teacher, Kirsten Weingartner-Weiss, will start the concert with “Twinkle, Twinkle” and “Jingle Bells.”
Horn Force, an ensemble of eight brass instruments from northwest Arkansas, all members of the Arkansas Winds concert band, will also play several seasonal selections for a half hour prior to the concert.
Players from Barry and Lawrence counties include: David Oliphant, Christina Oliphant, Jennifer Oliphant, Katie Oliphant, Michele Oliphant, Moira Oliphant and Trent Oliphant, all of Cassville; A.J. Thurgood, Alicyn Wilson, Elizabeth Snarey, Gina Milburn, Stefani Stovall, Phyllis Garrett, Carol Dahlstrom and Mareena Snarey, all of Monett; LeAna Colf, of Seligman; Holly Thompson, of Eagle Rock; Nancy Hitchcock, of Rocky Comfort; Sarah Willson, of Purdy; Jana Wilson, of Aurora; and Julie Waetke-Bishoff, Murray Bishoff, Abigail Russell and Jadon Russell, all of Pierce City.
Admission to the concert will be $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, and free to children high school age and younger. Monett High School, 1 David Sippy Drive, is located off East Cleveland Avenue (Business Hwy. 60) at the east end of the city, next to Price Cutter Supermarket.
Robin and Tammie Walker are sponsors for this concert.
The OFO is a community orchestra composed of players from southwest Missouri and nearby towns, focusing primarily on classical music. The orchestra is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization supported by sponsors, memberships, local foundations, ads in the orchestra program book, and funds managed by the Monett Community Foundation.
