In past years, Notre Dame Academy’s band and chorus performed separately to begin the holiday season. This year band and chorus will be combining to put on a single Christmas concert.

“The Band and Chorus have always done separate Christmas concerts in the past.  This is the first ‘combined’ concert.  It allows us to perform some great material written for full chorus and band,” Mr. William Hill, band teacher and conductor for this year’s concert, said.

The Christmas Choral and Band Concert will take place at NDA on December 14 at 7p.m. in the school auditorium. This year a crowd of at least 600 people is expected to attend.

Mr. Hill and the band members have been preparing and practicing for the Christmas concert since November. For several band members, such as senior Jessica Gross, this will be their fourth time participating in the concert. Gross looks forward to this year’s concert, especially because it will be her last time performing. 

Members of choir along with their teacher Mrs. Teresa Schmidt also have been practicing for the upcoming concert.

Hannah Martinez, another senior and chorus member, is especially eager to be combining with band for the concert.

“I’m really excited to be in the concert again this year,” Martinez said. “This will be my fourth year singing in it and I think this year will be the best!”

Mr. Hill is eager to be conducting both the band and choir this year.  “I always look forward to being in the moment conducting the Band, everyone with maximum focus,” he said.

Band and chorus will combine to perform an arrangement of the “Hallelujah Chorus” and “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Both the chorus and band will also be performing separately for other songs included in the program.