JOY, LOVE, PEACE at CHRISTMAS
Saturday, December 6, 2025 – 3:00 PM Citrus Springs Community Center
Sunday, December 7, 2025 – 3:00 PM. Curtis Peterson Auditorium
Today’s performance celebrates the spirit of the season through a blend of cherished holiday classics, vibrant contemporary arrangements, and moments of heartfelt reflection. We open with The Star-Spangled Banner by John Stafford Smith, presented in a stirring setting by James Swearingen and featuring vocalist Drema Leonard-Alan. The program continues with the majestic energy of Robert Longfield’s And the Mountains Echoed: Gloria!, followed by the timeless beauty of What Child Is This?—from The Many Moods of Christmas, Suite 3—highlighted by a featured classical guitar solo from Roberta Wallis.
Festive charm abounds in Julie Giroux’s lively Peter Patapan, while Drema Leonard-Alan returns to lend her voice to the beloved Carpenters classic Merry Christmas, Darling. Jay Dawson’s arrangement of Go Tell It on the Mountain brings a joyful, gospel-infused lift, and highlights from Home Alone 2—arranged by Paul Lavender—capture the whimsy, nostalgia, and cinematic sparkle of John Williams’ unforgettable score.
After intermission, the NCCB Clarinet Section takes center stage with Leroy Anderson’s Christmas Festival, showcasing the warmth and brilliance of the clarinet choir. Chris Sharp’s arrangement of O Come Let Us Adore Him offers a moment of reverent beauty, followed by the spirited tradition of Sousa’s Ancient and Honorable Artillery March—also known as the “March of the Mitten Men.” The program concludes with two energetic finales: John Wasson’s Sounds of Christmas and Randall Standridge’s A Holiday Galop, sending the audience into the season with joy, excitement, and celebration.