VINTON–The choirs of William Byrd Middle School and William Byrd High School presented their annual Holiday Concert to an auditorium at WBMS filled with appreciative family and friends on December 8.
If a middle school auditorium can be described as elegant, this one was–with a gleaming grand piano festooned with a golden ribbon, and holiday lights and decorations. The ladies were dressed formally in black and white or black and red floor length dresses; the men in tuxedos.
Choir director Matthew Bartley, who teaches both the middle school and the high school choirs, was proud of the performances and rightly so. Vicki Felton accompanied the choirs on the piano.
The choirs combined to open the show with the “Star Spangled Banner.” The 8th grade choir then performed three numbers: “Good Cheer,” the beloved Swedish carol “Sankta Lucia,” and “Somewhere in My Memory.”
The members of the WBMS choir are: Camryn Band, Fiona Belcher, Ivy Bobbitt, Faith Cooley, Kiely Fletcher, Hailey Hatcher, Chase Kendall, Brianna King, Kaitlyn Logan, Hannah Long, Kenzie Nelson, Kallie Parrish, Chelie Plaster, Aaliyah Saunders, David Scott, Tina Trent, Nick Vassar, Taylor Wright, and Estefania Zaragoza. Scott and Band both auditioned for and made All-District Chorus.
The WBHS choir next performed five numbers beginning with the beautiful “Bell Carol of the Kings.” Their next song was the satirical “O Little Town of Hackensack” by P.D. Q. Bach. The ladies only performed “Up on the Housetop,” followed by the men of the choir, including director Bartley, singing “Little Saint Nick,” as a quartet. The final number was “White Winter Hymnal” which was performed with some special musical effects.
Members of the WBHS choir include sopranos Jessica Brandimore, Ruth Brima, Jordan Dalton, Madison Dorren, Kenzie Doss, Katie Gray, Elizabeth Grey, Maria Hernandez, Andrea Logan, Madison Saunders, Alyssa Schools, Tes Smith, Erin Trent, and Mary Yates. Saunders, Schools, and Smith also auditioned and were chosen to participate in the All-District Chorus.
Altos in the WBHS choir include Autumn Alls, Chantel Buckner, Zoe Burks, Ariel Clark, Brooke Clement, Amanda Commins, Lexy Conner, Maddie Craig, Callie Foutz, Haylynn Gaddy, Allison Guertin, Alexis Hedrick, Crystal Hill, Lakya Lark, Tia Littlefield, Lindsey Manning, Alexis Martin, Breeanna Rice, Jeanette Sako, Nalah Saunders, Grace Scott, and Brooklyn Wiley. Craig was chosen to perform in the All-District Chorus.
T.J. Gamble, Brandon Martin, and Nathan Short made up the baritone section. Short will be participating in All-District Chorus.
Bartley announced that the choirs will be performing at “Dickens of a Christmas” in downtown Roanoke on December 18 and that they had been filmed by ABC-13 TV for inclusion in their Christmas Day broadcast.
