MONROE - The Monroe City Band will present its annual Christmas Concert at 3 p.m. Sunday in the sanctuary of the Monroe United Methodist Church, 2227 4th St.
The free event is open to the public. Donations of non-perishable food items will be accepted at the door for the Green County Food Pantry.
Under the direction of Brian Bruggeman, the band will perform a variety of Christmas music. There will be old favorites like Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride"; "A Christmas Spectacular," a medley of traditional Christmas carols arranged by Chris Sharp; "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," arranged by John Moss; and the traditional sing-a-long, "Merry Christmas Everyone," arranged by Steven Reineke.
The band will also include a beautiful arrangement of a little known Appalachian folk carol "Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head"; an innovative arrangement of "O Holy Night," recorded by Mannheim Steamroller; "O Whistle and I'll Come To Ye," by Larry Daehn, and a haunting setting of Greensleeves, entitled "Whisper To Their Souls," arranged by Samuel R. Hazo. For classical musical lovers, the performance will also include "Overture To Candide" by Leonard Bernstein, along with "Chorale and Alleluia" by Howard Hanson.
Refreshments will be served after the concert in Fellowship Hall.
The current version of the Monroe City Band was organized in 1949 by the late Allan F. Barnard with the mission to provide music to the Green County area. One of the first appearances of the group was a Christmas concert for the residents, families and staff at the Green County Home, which is now the Pleasant View facility. The band will continue that tradition this year at 1:30 p.m. with a concert for the residents before its public performance at the church.
The free event is open to the public. Donations of non-perishable food items will be accepted at the door for the Green County Food Pantry.
Under the direction of Brian Bruggeman, the band will perform a variety of Christmas music. There will be old favorites like Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride"; "A Christmas Spectacular," a medley of traditional Christmas carols arranged by Chris Sharp; "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," arranged by John Moss; and the traditional sing-a-long, "Merry Christmas Everyone," arranged by Steven Reineke.
The band will also include a beautiful arrangement of a little known Appalachian folk carol "Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head"; an innovative arrangement of "O Holy Night," recorded by Mannheim Steamroller; "O Whistle and I'll Come To Ye," by Larry Daehn, and a haunting setting of Greensleeves, entitled "Whisper To Their Souls," arranged by Samuel R. Hazo. For classical musical lovers, the performance will also include "Overture To Candide" by Leonard Bernstein, along with "Chorale and Alleluia" by Howard Hanson.
Refreshments will be served after the concert in Fellowship Hall.
The current version of the Monroe City Band was organized in 1949 by the late Allan F. Barnard with the mission to provide music to the Green County area. One of the first appearances of the group was a Christmas concert for the residents, families and staff at the Green County Home, which is now the Pleasant View facility. The band will continue that tradition this year at 1:30 p.m. with a concert for the residents before its public performance at the church.