What’s an elementary school music teacher do after the annual Christmas concert is in the books?
For Lacee Johnson, it was a quick sigh of relief after Friday’s (December 20) performance—her third Christmas concert at Cleveland—and then on to prepare for her own family holiday.
“I have to shop and wrap because I am not ready for Christmas because this took priority.”
But all the stress and hard work getting over 375 kindergarteners through sixth graders on stage was worth it, she said. Including solos, choreography and accompanying instruments, all seven acts performed without a hitch, boosting the holiday spirit in the overflowing new gym.
“I say there’s never a perfect performance, but that was close. I wouldn’t have anything I would really change.”
Starting with choosing the song list, Johnson began preparing for the concert back when school started in September.
“Once I know the level of the group, and some I know from last year, I find what fits them musically, what their voices are able to do.”
Then it’s two and a half months of cramming. Students started learning the songs in October. Johnson saw each group only once a week. That’s only about 10 practices she had with them plus the on-stage rehearsals for each of the two days before the concert.
Although seeing the children perform was a delight for the audience, besides learning music, preparing for the concert teaches students resilience and perseverance, Johnson said.
“All kids need something they can be proud of and to be able to say ‘I worked hard on something. I accomplished it. I didn’t give up.’ There are kids out there who struggle in the classroom, they struggle with math, they struggle reading, but they don’t struggle out here. They find that success and feel proud of it.”
Preparing for the concert also had the added benefit of giving students a real-life lesson on functioning in a group. During dress rehearsals, for example, students were able to provide input on making the performance run more smoothly.
“They learn how to work as a team, which is huge,” Johnson said. “I think all kids should have music, even if they do well in the classroom.”
Song list
Opening the concert, the Kindergartners sang “Snowman Can’t March.” They followed with “My Red Sled” and closed with “Christmas Cookies,” which featured hand bells rang by Blakely Berry, Zoey Braun, Adam Eppmeyer, Myles Holt, Kolton Kime, Issac Louwagie, Chloe Schultz, Hartley Shearman, Brynn Smith, Ryan Stocker and Scarlett Wengert.
Next on stage, the first graders performed “The Penguin Polka” and “Winter is Here."
Then it was “North Pole, we have a problem,” as the group closed with “That’s Not a Puppy.” It seems that Santa inadvertently left a reindeer under the tree instead of a puppy for one unsuspecting child. To complicate matters, the child still wants the puppy anyway. Gwen Otto read a letter to Santa during that song.
The second-grade class had an opportunity to show off their kazoo chops with Kris Kringel’s Kazoos (featuring “Up on the Housetop” and “Deck the Halls.” Next, Logann Meyer soloed in “Stuck in the Chimney Again.” They closed with “Mine Eyes Have the Presents.”
Taking a trip to Hawaii, the third graders opened with “Mele Kalikimaka. They followed with “I Love the Lights,” which featured soloist Isabel Carsten. They closed with the silly “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”
The fourth graders opened with a rousing performance of the novelty Christmas classic “Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer.” They followed with “Here Comes the Snow,” and closed with “Hot Chocolate.”
The fifth graders opened with “The Holiday Tango,” (above) which featured tango dancers Lucy Smith, Adli Hoisington, Kendall Kern, Jayda Roemhildt, Ruby Page, Breanna Bosse, Shayne Jordan, Arbor Linder, Kennedy Dauk, Karleigh Duffy, Kenzie Sandhurst, Stormie Davis, Addyson Hoffmann, Brooklyn Berg, Paxton Kluntz, Nolan McLister and Brooklynn Dennison.
With Bosse on the Glockenspiel, the fifth-grade class followed with the traditional “Carol of the Bells.’ They closed with “A Very Merry Christmas,” an upbeat piece about wintry weather, a warm fire, classic Christmas songs, hanging decorations, and making lasting memories with friends.
Holding candles with the lights dimmed, the sixth graders opened with “Somewhere in My Memory.” They followed with the “Gettin’ in the Mood (for Christmas), sung to the melody of Glen Miller’s famous swing song “In the Mood.” Swing dancers during the piece were Raelynn Holicky, Emma Steinborn, Jacquelyn Heldberg, Kennedy Schleeve, Annalise Rysdam, Ellie Williams, Brienna Groebner, Khloe McCabe, Jose Castro, Brock Pugh, Leighton Beelow, Elijah Johnson, Olivia Olson, Blair Voit, Eva Schummer, Emmy Miller and Maicey Fischer.
With Bella Baker starting off the song with a solo, the sixth graders next performed the Mariah Carey modern classic “All I Want for Christmas is You.” As is tradition at Cleveland, they finished by leading “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
Directed by Erik Hermanson, Holiday Jazz gave its last performance of the year, playing as the audience entered the gym, between each set and concluding the concert.
Elementary students will be back on stage on May 16 for the spring concert.
Kindergarteners
Video: First graders: “That’s Not a Puppy”
Video: Second graders: “Kris Kringle's Kazoos”
Video: Third graders: “I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas”
Video: Sixth graders: “Getting’ In the Mood (for Christmas)”
Video: Sixth graders: “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”
Video: Holiday Jazz: “Angels We Have Rocked the House”
Watch the entire holiday concert.