Christmas concerts come early this year

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
Band and choir clinic is a time when students from around the area come together to create music together, according to choir teacher Jan Ellis. Both middle and high school students who have a knack for music participated in two different clinics, depending on age, with students from the northeast corner of Wyoming. 
“I really like this opportunity for students, as it is the one event they work together with students from other schools to present a final project, rather than competing against each other,” Ellis said. 
Middle school students in band and choir attended the clinic in Buffalo on Oct. 25. Nine students represented the choir, while five attended as band students. 
“Students in both groups practiced the music at home and spent the day rehearsing with students from other schools in the northeast district,” Ellis said. “They performed a concert in the afternoon for the public.” 
Ellis noted that the students have the opportunity to learn and grow musically with other like-minded student-musicians from the area while performing songs that are at higher levels than those performed in their usual classes. The students who attend clinics dedicate their own time, according to Ellis, to learn additional music and prepare for the event. 
“These events are for students that excel in music, although the middle school clinic is more inclusive,” Ellis said.
Ellis explained that when it comes to the high school clinic, she and band teacher Ryan Whipple are only able to take 10 to 15 percent of their total classes. The students selected, she said, not only perform well in class and excel musically but also represent the school well. 
High school groups for both band and choir attended the clinic Nov. 16-17 in Moorcroft, performing with students from Sheridan, Buffalo, Gillette, Big Horn, Tongue River, Wright, Arvada-Clearmont, Upton, Moorcroft, Sundance and Hulett. 
Similar to the middle school students’ experience, the high school students learn the same songs at home for several weeks before coming together to “make music” for two days under different clinicians. 
According to Ellis, students performing at the high school level have the opportunity to perform higher-level music, including college-level songs, with instructors who are diversified in their fields. 
The choir clinician for this year was Sean Ambrose, a music facilitator for Laramie County School District in Cheyenne. Ambrose also regularly directs community bands and choirs and travels across the Midwest doing honors programs in multiple states. 
Steven Trinkle acted as the band clinician for this year’s high school band clinic. Trinkle, a retired band director from Casper College, is working as a director of Trinkle Brassworks, as well as the Powder River Symphony Orchestra in Gillette. 
Ellis reported that for many students, the clinic is an opportunity to perform with a larger group and see other musically talented students. She said that one student remarked after the event how nice it was to sing with a lot of other tenors, an opportunity he doesn’t get in the high school choir. 
“These students that go, this is what they want to do, they want to sing and perform,” Ellis said. “They are able to spend time with like-minded and like-talented students and sing for two days, not just the 90-minute class at school.” 
Seven of the high school students who performed at the clinic also went to Laramie to work with two university singing groups at the University of Wyoming on Oct. 25-26. 
“They worked both days with the gender-based choirs at UW, The Statesmen and Bel Canto,” Ellis said. “They learned about their voices, especially gender-specific issues; musicianship skills; performance techniques; team building and mentorship within their local choral program.” 
The students also learned music that they then performed on Saturday with the different musical groups. 
Middle and high school band and choir classes will come together as a whole to round off 2018 with their annual holiday performances. Ellis said that scheduling issues mean that the concerts for both schools will be earlier this year. 
“Since this is the season for spreading cheer, let us brighten your holiday spirit with music,” Ellis said. “We invite you to join us for the annual middle school Christmas concert on Monday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. in the Crouch Auditorium.” 
She noted that the concert will begin with band performances, followed by the choirs. 
On Dec 4, the high school band and choir groups will perform beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Crouch Auditorium.
“Starting off the evening will be the concert choir with several Christmas favorites,” Ellis said. “The second half of the program will be devoted to the concert band and their familiar Christmas carols.” 
Both concerts are free and open to the public.