Saturday evening musical programs by MLC Pre-K to Grade 6, High School
Christmas was in the air at Mountain Lake Christian (MLC) with the sounds of the season in a pair of Saturday evening, December 12 Christmas musical program.
The first featured the Pre-K to Grade 6 program – A (Christmas) Showcase of Learning! – while the second focused on the high school instrumentalists and vocalists – “Fa-La-La – Songs of the Season. The elementary program gave those attending the program a peek into what the students have been learning in music class – from melodic direction to playing chords on a ukulele.
Vocal and instrumental director, as well as K-12 music teacher at MLC is Aaron Petersen.
In between the pair of presentations, attendees enjoyed a buffet of cheese, crackers and meat – and, of course, Christmas sweet treat goodies.
MLC ELEMENTARY BAND members, under the lead of Aaron Petersen, presented two selections, “Variations on a Theme by Mozart,” by Wolfgang Mozart and “Jingle Bells,” by J. Pierpont. Band members, comprised of students in fourth, fifth and sixth grade, included, front, from left, flutist Meghan Johnson; Lydia Cavanaugh and Monroe James on clarinet; saxophonists Miriam Rete and Abi Renteria and on tympani, Luke Klassen. Back, from left, trumpets Drayton Klassen, Jordan Linscheid and Lydia Rete and percussionists Tiegan Meyer, Tyler Dick, Mark Quiring and Aiden Penner.
MLC ELEMENTARY SAXOPHONISTS in sync. Miriam Rete, left and Abi Renteria, right.
DRAYTON KLASSEN OF the brass section on trumpet.
MLC PRE-KINDERGARTEN students of the Sycamore class, under the direction of their teacher, Mandy Linscheid, bottom left, rang their hand bells to punctuate the song they sang, “Ring the Bells, Sing Noel,” by C. Berry. The students are, front, from left, Emmalyn Nickel, Joshua Onken, Emily Johnson, Leah Janzen and Dalton Booze. Back, from left, Alayna Nelson, Joel Saldana, Courtney Schroeder, Breckin Meyer, Elijah Dirks and Emily Clerc.
PRE-K STUDENT Joshua Onken eagerly rang his bells to help announce the birth of Jesus.
MLC KINDERGARTEN-AGE students of the Sycamore class, directed by their teacher, Aaron Petersen, sang a pair of songs, making the telling of the story complete with arm motions. The children shared, “Away In A Manger,” by J. Murray, J. McFarland and M. Luther and D. Meece’s “One Small Child.” Class members are, front, from left, Levi Onken, Mareena Onken, David Molle and Lola Berg. Back, from left, Ezra Petersen, Jessah Janzen and Alden Klassen.
KINDERGARTEN STUDENT JESSAH Janzen knows with whom her heart lies.
ALDEN KLASSEN OF the MLC Kindergarten student sang “Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, close by me forever and love me I pray,” familiar lyrics from “Away In A Manger.”
MLC GRADES ONE and two – the Acacia class – presented the Christmas Carol, “The First Noel,” as well as “Good Christian Men, Rejoice,” by J. Neale. Students are, front, from left, Shelby Penner, Harlie Krueger, Katie Johnson and Kirstin Nickel. Middle, from left, Caleb Klassen, Fairlane Penner, Isaiah Rete, Cristy Renteria and Owen Klassen. Back, from left, Grayson Schlabach, Sofia Flohrs, Cameron Meyer, Jessah Janzen and Ben Moller.
REJOICING WITH HEART and soul and voice. Front, Katie Johnson. Middle, Cristy Renteria. Back, Jessah Janzen, left and Ben Moller, right.
ACACIA STUDENTS SANG out strong on their selections. Front, Shelby Penner, left and Harlie Krueger, right. Middle, Caleb Klassen, left and Fairlane Penner, right. Back, Sofia Flohrs.
MLC’S OAK CLASS is comprised of third- and fourth-grade students. The young singers shared “Good King Wenceslas,” by J. Neal on recorders and sang “Christmas Offering,” by P. Baloche. Singing the “echo” in in “Christmas Offering” were William Berg, John Bergeman, Monroe James, Meghan Johnson and Samuel Petersen. Students are, front, from left, Zach Klassen, Jacey Klassen, Bailey Meyer and Alexis Nickel. Middle, from left, Ethan Schroeder, Daniel Smith, Meghan Johnson, John Bergeman and William Baerg. Back, from left, Tyler Dick, Lydia Rete, Samuel Petersen, Monroe James and Luke Moller.
SAMUEL PETERSEN FOCUSED intently on his director during Oak’s recorder selection of “Good King Wenceslas,” by J. Neal.
AS DID ALEXIS Nickel.
FOR THE FIRST song presented by the fifth- and sixth-graders from the Cedar class, the students were both instrumentalists and vocalists. While playing their ukuleles, they sang the traditional Christmas song, “Silent Night,” by F. Gruber, J. Young and J. Mohr. They also sang the selection, “Still, Still, Still,” by G. Evans, L. Smith, W. Ehret and N. Petersen, with featured soloist, Eli Johnson. Cedar students include, front, from left, Jordan Linscheid, Tiegan Meyer, Luke Klassen and Lydia Cavanaugh. Middle, from left, Eli Johnson, Abi Renteria, Mark Quiring and Riley Schroeder. Back, from left, Kate Janzen, Drayton Klassen, Lydia Moller, Aiden Penner and Miriam Rete.
RILEY SCHROEDER ON the ukulele.
MARK QUIRING, TOO, strummed his ukulele.
FOLLOWING A BREAK, the MLC high school students took to the stage, including the high school band, made of students in grades 7-12. Band members include, front, from left, flutists Danica Dick and Melissa Lohrenz, 2015 alumna Caitlin Smith and Sara Quiring on clarinet, saxophonist Elizabeth Linscheid, Katelyn Fast on keyboard, behind Director Aaron Petersen and tympani player Seth Klassen. Back, from left, Zoey Smith on trumpet, baritone Levi Stoesz, trombonists Jackson Oltmans and Bryce Adrian and percussion specialists Abraham Stoesz, Timothy Sellers and Emily Schroeder. The band shared four numbers, “Christmas Joy,” by John O’Reilly; “Nuts & Crackers,” by David Schaffer; Mark Williams’ “Hallelujah It’s Christmas” and “Blue Ridge Saga,” by James Swearingen.
PROVIDING THE DEEP bass sounds of the baritone was Levi Stoesz.
MORE BRASS, THIS by trombonist Jackson Oltmans.
MLC HIGH SCHOOL Band flutists Danica Dick, left and Melissa Lohrenz, right, with a pair of flute duets, the traditional English tune, “The First Noel,” and the Welsh folk tune, “All Through The Night.”
THE FOUR FEMALE leaders of the MLC Chapel Worship Team, led the audience in a pair of songs, “Hark The Herald Angels Sing,” by Charles Wesley and Felix Mendlessohn and “Angels We Have Heard On High,” by James Chadwick. From left, Chloe Klassen, Danica Dick, Melissa Lohrenz and Katelyn Fast.
MLC MUSIC TEACHER Aaron Petersen added guitar accompaniment to the Worship Team’s rendition of “Angels We Have Heard On High.”
IN ADDITION, MLC Science Teacher Brandon Pearson provided some percussion on the beat box for the Worship Team songs.
DANICA DICK ON Pietro Yon’s “Gesu Bambino.”
TWO NUMBERS WERE sung by the members of the MLC High School Choir, grades 7-12. They shared “Silent Night,” by Joseph Mohr, Franz Gruber and Greg Gilpin, featuring soloist Zoey Smith, as well as “Benedictus,” by Brian Lewis. Choir members, under the direction of Aaron Petersen, include, front, from left, Seth Klassen, Abraham Stoesz, Bryce Adrian, Melissa Lohrenz, Chloe Klassen, Summer Janzen, Cheyanne Courts, Zoey Smith, Sara Quiring, Paige Riihl and Katelyn Fast. Middle, from left, Emily Schroeder, Rachel Sajban, Annalee Toutges and Regan James. Back, from left, Bren Toutges, Dustin Klassen, Levi Stoesz, Josh Raabe, Lizzy van Beilen, Danica Dick, Elizabeth Linscheid and Kylie Klassen. Piano accompanist for the choir was former MLC music teacher Ginifer Simon.
SOME OF THE male voices of the high school choir. Front, from left, Seth Klassen, Abraham Stoesz and Bryce Adrian. Back, Bren Toutges, left and Dustin Klassen, right.
CHOIR MEMBERS, FRONT, Chloe Klassen, left and Summer Janzen, right; middle, Emily Schroeder and back, Josh Raabe, left and Lizzy van Beilen, right.
