The Willamette Valley Concert Band will present a free Christmas concert at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at the newly remodeled and refurbished Takena Hall at Linn-Benton
Community College, 500 Pacific Blvd. SW, in Albany.
The concert, “A Season Of Wonder,” will be conducted by Kim A. Williams Melby, band director at South Eugene High School since 2019. The announcer will be Jason Caffarella. One of the concert’s highlights will be “Miracle on 34th Street,” from the 1994 hit movie. Its main theme is reminiscent of “Joy To The World.” “Sleigh Ride,” by Leroy Anderson, is a holiday must. “Festival Fanfare for Christmas, by J. Wasson, is a magnificent and powerful setting for the holidays.
Dance of the Jesters, by Tchaikovsky, has solos by performers in the trumpet, clarinet and alto saxophone sections. And these are just some of the selections. Band director Kim Melby hails from Forest Grove. Since taking on the position of director at South Eugene HS, she has built the program’s pep band and marching band opportunities, including music theory and a variety of ethno-musical studies.
The Willamette Valley Concert Band was established in 1970. It currently has about 65 talented members, ranging in age from middle school students, high school students, adults to senior citizens from the mid-valley. It is a nonprofit organization and appreciates any donations.