Oakwood Brass, Chancel Choir team for holiday concert

The Sanctuary Series show is free.

Contact this contributing writer at bturner004@woh.rr.com.


How to go

What: Oakwood Brass and High Street United Methodist Chancel Choir Holiday Concert

Where: High Street United Methodist Church, 230 E. High St., Springfield

When: 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11

Admission: Free; donations accepted

More info: 937-322-2527 or www.highstreetumc.com

With the same inevitability of Santa’s arrival on Christmas Eve, Oakwood Brass will be in Springfield on the second Sunday in December.

The group continues the tradition with its third annual concert of holiday music, combining with the High Street United Methodist Church Chancel Choir for the “The Spirit of Christmas” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at High Street United Methodist Church.

The concert is part of the monthly Sanctuary Series and is free. Free-will offerings to support the series will be accepted.

The association between the two sides came when Series director J. Chris Moore was executive director at the Springfield Arts Council.

“Eric Knorr, founder of Oakwood Brass, was recommended to me to play trumpet in the orchestra for several of our Summer Arts Festival musicals in the park,” he said. “Oakwood Brass first played for our Easter services at the church five years ago. I was so pleased with the quality of their playing, that I invited them to perform on the Sanctuary Series with the Chancel Choir for Christmas.”

Oakwood Brass musicians include Knorr, 1st trumpet, Daniel Zehringer, 2nd trumpet, Sean Vore, horn and Tom Lukowicz, tuba.

Its selections will include “English Christmas Carol Suite,” ed. Knorr; “The Wassail Song,” ed. Knorr; “What Child Is This?”; “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”; “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and other familiar holiday carols.

Chancel Choir and Oakwood Brass will combine for “Lift Your Voice and Sing”; “Once in Royal David’s City”; “Christmas Fanfare”; “Song of the Angels”; and “Come, Let Us Adore Him.”

The choir will also do arrangements of “Away in a Manger,” “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” “All Is Well” and the Scottish tune “What Strangers Are These?” Moore and Kathleen Wilkins direct the Chancel Choir.

A holiday reception will be in the church commons following the performance.

About the Author