Flathead Valley Community Band presents Christmas concert

The Flathead Valley Community Band will present its “Christmas Celebration Concert” at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 in the Red Lion Hotel Ballroom. The Community Band is under the direction of Allen Slater and the concert will consist of a variety of Christmas music. There is no admittance charge for the concert, but there will be a voluntary donation to offset costs.

The program begins with William Rhodes' arrangement of “A December March.” This lively tune encompasses four Christmas tunes — one Swedish, one Flemish, one English and one French — all set in a march style. The band is also performing “In the Bleak Midwinter,” originally written by Gustav Holst and this haunting arrangement is set by Robert W. Smith.

The band will be doing a tribute to our veterans, in remembrance of the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. They will be doing a beautiful setting of the Navy hymn, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save”, written by Claude Smith.

A flute ensemble and a clarinet quartet will be playing before the band. Each group will also have a featured spot on the concert. There is even a Christmas sing-along, so audience members can join in on making music with the band. The concert includes a Sousa novelty number and will close with Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride.”