It’s the most wonderful time of the year

With the holiday season here, the wonderful music we’ve all been waiting for comes along with it. The best part of it though, is that the music starts even before the holiday season.  Some people believe all of that holiday decorations and music should come after Thanksgiving, or even two weeks before the holidays. I think the sooner the better, especially if the music could start way back in the beginning of November.

The Holidays only come once a year. I think that we should prepare for it, because if we don’t, it will be here and gone before we know it. So why not get more than one day out of it? It makes me excited for Christmas and just makes it come that much sooner.

With all the excitement and preparation, the music and buying presents, time just seems to fly with holiday spirit. Though it gets to Christmas faster, which is always the best part, it also is sad because it feels like it’s over in no time.   Holiday music brings back memories from years ago, and it helps create new ones. Singing with family, putting up a Christmas tree, all these memories are what make our childhoods full of happiness.

So enjoy all there is to this great holiday because, when it’s over, you’ll miss it, and you’ll already be looking forward for the music to start again.

No thanks for Thanksgiving

When November hits everyone starts to think Christmas presents. Then it leads to decorations then Christmas music, and it is a huge hulabaloo.  This happens every year. That is good and all but people forget one big thing, Thanksgiving. Now I know everyone still celebrates Thanksgiving but it always feel like a side holiday compared to Christmas.   With Thanksgiving already past it feels like it was so long ago since it happened. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, takes away the thunder right away and leaves Thanksgiving in the dust.

I am a huge fan a Christmas. I enjoy presents just as much as the next guy, but I think it should be celebrated after thanksgiving. I am not saying to switch your way of celebrating holidays, but give Thanksgiving more honor and respect. After all, it does feed you.

My thanksgiving was very small but I enjoyed it very much. Though being a vegetarian and not being able to eat turkey, I still ate like no tomorrow. Sitting around the table with family, eating good food and just hanging out and talking, there is nothing better. Football is always on during Thanksgiving, and to me, it is a perfect complement to such a great holiday.

Not only is the dinner tasty you have the good ol’ desert to have afterward. It could be the pumpkin pie, French silk pie, lemon squares and even those oh so delectable grandmother’s cookies. When all the commotion of making dinner and eating was done my family sat down and played quite an intense game of Apples to Apples. That is what thanksgiving is about, no different than Christmas: giving thanks for what you have and spending quality time with your family.

So though Thanksgiving has passed, be sure to tell it “thank you” next time it comes around.

Musicians perform annual Holiday Concert

On Friday, December 11^th 2009, RBHS musicians preformed the annual Holiday concert for both students, staff, parents and other community members. During the day, the musicians preformed an abbreviated version of the full concert for students and staff. Later in the evening, the full concert, involving all musical groups performing all their prepared music, took place.

This year, due to construction on the building, the concert was held in the gymnasium, as the auditorium is mid-renovation. While probably not the ideal location for the concert, as the gym isn’t built with acoustics in mind, the gym worked well enough and the concert was still able to be held. The renovated Auditorium will be back in use for future concerts.

Band Director James Baum was very pleased with the concert, stating, “I thought [the winter concert] was great! All the groups sounded wonderful, but I was especially pleased with the orchestra, the chamber orchestra, and the Jazz ensemble.”

Students in all music departments, band, orchestra, and choir, preformed various holiday songs for the crowd. The concert started out with the combined ensembles playing all together and ended with the traditional playing of “White Christmas” with alumni helping to sing.

The night lasted about an hour and a half, and was filled with over twenty musical acts. Highlights from the show included the Chamber Orchestra playing “Winter” by Vivaldi featuring freshman Kenzo Esquivel, and the Madrigal Singers singing a highly comical rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” The Jazz ensemble’s tunes were also a crowd favorite.

Baum added, “Senior Jim Sit played a really artistic and tasteful solo on Gingerbread Boy, and Kenzo Esquivel and the chamber orchestra were sublime.”