Christmas Concert to Benefit Local High School Student

Director Marry Gibbons conducted as members of the Armstrong Christmas Ensemble practiced last Thursday evening.

by Nathan Lasher

On the evening of Tuesday, December 21, approximately 85 musicians from all over Armstrong County will be coming together as the Armstrong Christmas Ensemble to perform a concert benefiting Victoria Hogg, a Kittanning High School student who recently developed Crohn’s disease.

Last year, organizers Tyler Woodside, Ashley Fetter, and Nick Totos were throwing around the idea of putting on a Christmas concert when the idea struck them that, instead of charging for admission, they could throw a free concert and ask for donations or have raffles for the benefit of a local charity. They started the tradition last year with all of the proceeds going toward Diana Adams who was diagnosed with pancreatitis.   

“Every year we want it to go towards a local family in need,” said Fetter. “That’s the whole goal of the concert.”

This year, the ensemble, consisting of musicians from the Kittanning Firemen’s Band, Butler Symphony, Armstrong Concert Band, Kiski Valley Community Band, Gibbon’s Big Band, and retired ASD music teachers and KHS and FCHS Band students, will continue their tradition of playing different arrangements of popular Christmas music.

“It’s not going to put anybody to sleep,” said Totos.

Other activities for the concert will include an appearance by Santa Claus and the raffling of gift baskets, a donation from Smail’s Drum Shop, and some Pittsburgh Steelers items. There will also be cookies and beverages available.

As of last Thursday night, members of the Armstrong Christmas Ensemble came together for their third rehearsal under the direction of Mary Gibbons.

“We have four practices, so we have one more after this,” said Totos. “We have two in November and two in December.”

Doors for the concert, which is expected to last for a little over an hour, will open at 7PM with the concert beginning at 7:30PM. Admission is free. To get involved, or to donate, interested residents can call Tyler Woodside at 724-859-9001.

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