Reading, MA — The Reading Community Concert Band, under the direction of Music Director Stephen Bloom, delighted audiences with their 2024 Holiday Concert. The festive event featured two performances:
- Saturday, December 7th at 11:00 a.m. at the REF Festival of Trees, Parker Middle School, 45 Temple Street
- Sunday, December 8th at 3:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 25 Woburn Street
The program offered a wonderful blend of traditional and contemporary holiday music, bringing joy to audiences of all ages.
Program Highlights
The concert opened with On This Day, Earth Shall Ring (from Winter Suite) by Gustav Holst, adapted by Robert W. Smith, a rousing piece that set the holiday tone. The band then performed Chanukah: The Festival of Lights Overture, arranged by David Bobrowitz, followed by the sereneOn a Catalonian Carol (“El Noi de la Mare”) arranged by Randall D. Standridge. The spirited Go Tell It on the Mountain arranged by Jay Dawson and Georges Bizet’s Farandole (from L’Arlésienne) arranged by Larry Daehn rounded out the first half.
The second half began with Christmas on Broadway, a medley arranged by John Higgins that captured the excitement of the holidays in the city. This was followed by a trio of sleigh ride songs, including Prokofiev’s Troika from Lieutenant Kije, Mozart’s Die Schlittenfahrt (German Dance No. 3, K. 605), and Leroy Anderson’s iconic Sleigh Ride. The concert concluded with Christmas and Sousa Forever, a unique holiday twist on the works of John Philip Sousa, arranged by Julie Giroux.
This delightful program brought warmth and cheer to the holiday season, featuring timeless classics and joyous holiday favorites. Audiences left with smiles and fond memories of this annual holiday tradition.
Photos by Kenan Cooper
