On December 11, at 6:30 p.m., Griffith Band and Choir held their annual Christmas concert in the auditorium. This was director Virginia Hernandez’s first Christmas concert with the GHS Music Dept. and the first combined choir and band concert ever. 

“I was excited because all my bands and the choir were well prepared, and we got some good music together,” said Hernandez. “What’s really special about that combined band choir piece because it’s new for everyone.”

Jazz Band kicked off the concert with a colorful medley of carols. Concert Band played “Secret Agent Sugar Plum” and “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer”; the choir sang “Zum Gali Gali,” an Isreali folk song, along with the medleys “Carols Around and Around” and “Charlie Brown Christmas.” Symphonic Band performed “Ho! Ho! Ho!,” “Appalachian Carol,” and “A Mad Russian’s Christmas.”  For a rousing finale, Symphonic Band and Concert Choir joined forces for the classic carol “Do You Hear What I Hear.”

“I picked music [for] the Concert band specifically for the skills I had been teaching [them],” said Hernandez. “For choir, “Zum Gali Gali” was a folk song we learned early in the year, and we loved it, and it fits the holidays. I also wanted to do [musical] rounds  [with “Carols Around and Around”], and who doesn’t love Charlie Brown? For Symphonic Band, I wanted something lyrical [like “Appalachian Carol”], and “Mad Russian’s Christmas” was our challenge piece.”

“It’s quality music that gives everyone the Christmas spirit they want,” said junior and Symphonic Band percussionist Jason Czyz. 

The day after the concert, several band and choir members went on a field trip to Residences at Deer Creek, a retirement community, to perform for the residents.