Christmas spirit filled the atmosphere of the Coppell Arts Center as the Coppell Community Orchestra performs various classical holiday pieces on Sunday.

The environment of the performance was festive, with Christmas lights flashing in the background, holiday music filling the audience’s ears, musicians wearing cozy Christmas sweaters, and to top it all off, Mrs. Claus playing the flute.

However, this atmosphere created some initial concerns for many musicians in the orchestra. 

“This is the first time they have ever used stage/stand lights with such diverse lighting,” Coppell Community Orchestra president Vanessa Younts said.

Despite these new experiences, the orchestra performed remarkably well.

To open the show, the orchestra performed “Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” The music was vibrant and cheerful. In the background, Christmas images, such as snow and Santa, were projected.

As the opening music finished, Younts introduced herself and the orchestra. 

“During the holidays, we get to transport all of us back in time to the delightful holiday memories of children and adults. That’s what we wanted to convey today,” Younts said.

After the introduction, orchestra players Linda Ammons, Thomas Carillo, and Jim Barber performed “Wind Trio Bach & Jazz Set.” Despite the three different instruments, the sound of all three playing simultaneously created a playful and beautiful melody.

Following “Wind Trio Bach & Jazz Set,” the wind quintet — Younts, Erik Rodriguez, Tiffany Bryan, Barber and Lucas Rodriguez — performed “Sleigh Ride.”

Forty minutes into the performance, the orchestra performed “Twas the Night Before Christmas” with a twist. Simultaneously with the music was the reading of the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”

The music corresponded with the mood of the poem. For instance, as the narrator said, “Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!” the music transitioned into a more dramatic sound with a hectic mood.

This diverse portion of the performance was a first for the Coppell Orchestra.

 “We worked a lot creatively in order to make this happen,” Younts said.

After a 15-minute intermission, the brass section performed “Suite of Carols,” followed by the orchestra performing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and “American Christmas Folk Suite.”

In “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” the background, with blue and falling snow, combined with peaceful music to set a calm and mellow tone.

To end the show, the cheerful and energetic sound of the Christmas classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was performed by the orchestra.

When the show finished, Younts couldn’t help but feel proud of her orchestra “for accumulating creative content and really just going for it.”

Overall, the show was a success and left the audience in a festive mood. However, Younts hopes for more volunteers for the next show and is specifically looking for more musicians to audition in the strings section.

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