All three PPS middle schools made beautiful music for the community in December, showcasing their hard work and dedication since the start of school.

Lyman Moore Middle School’s concert took place on Dec. 5. The audience enjoyed performances from the orchestra that included “Ukrainian Bell Carol.” The orchestra was directed by Julianne Eberl, PPS orchestra director. Selections from the chorus, directed by music teacher Reagan Burrows, included “Winter Wonderland”; and the concert band, directed by music teacher Dan Nogar, treated the audience to performances that included “Welcome to the Show!”

Burrows said the number of Moore students participating across all three ensembles was the highest since COVID, adding that the concert “was also very well attended, standing room only.”

The King Middle School concert was held on Dec. 18. Eberl directed the orchestra in performances that ranged from Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” to “Bile the Cabbage Down,” an American folk song. The wide-ranging selections from the chorus, with music teacher Bridget DePaola directing, included a traditional Japanese folk song titled “Akatonbo.” The performances of the band, directed by Audrey Cabral, the district’s music coordinator, included “Sleigh Ride.”

Lincoln Middle School’s concert took place on Dec. 19. The performances of the orchestra, led by Eberl, included Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No. 5.” The chorus, directed by music teacher Bethany Kirkpatrick, treated the audience to such classics as “Let It Snow! let It Snow! Let It Snow!” The selections of the handbell choir, directed by Cabral, included music from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.” Cabral also directed the band, whose performances included “Swingin' Bell Carol.”

Cabral noted that Lincoln Principal Marisa Ayala joined the band during the concert, playing the alto saxophone.

View a video of the Dec. 19 Lincoln Middle School concert: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-E3Q96CdcSwNRWKsmI-9aCPtKxNCOOxF/view?usp=sharing

PHOTO: Pictured above is the Lincoln Middle School Concert held Dec. 19, 2023