This holiday season what most people need is some extra holiday cheer. The Covid pandemic has been ongoing for almost 10 months now and it’s changed our way of life. On Sunday, December 13th, Chesterton High School’s music department brought some cheer and holiday music by holding their annual holiday concert. This was a three-part concert that included the band, orchestra, and choir. 

The concert itself was very similar compared to previous years in the sense of performance, however, due to Covid restrictions, each student was only allowed to have 2 guests attend; there was an online live stream for anyone who could not attend in person. 

The concert was directed by Mr. Martinson, Mrs. Morris, Mr. Bess, and Mr. Grenier. During one band performance, Mr. Martinson spoke and read a short story while the band assisted by playing music. Nico Kittridge and Emerson Stobbe also had solos in the band. The choir sang traditional Christmas songs like Let It Snow, Remembering Decembers, and the Hallelujah Chorus that they sing every year. 

The annual holiday concert was similar in most aspects compared to previous years aside from the Covid restrictions. Due to six-foot spacing, it was held in the main gym. The choir was equally spread apart from each other on the bleachers while the band and orchestra were spaced on the gym floor. Both choir and orchestra were required to wear masks, but the band had an exception considering the majority of their instruments required to play with a mouthpiece. 

As the concert took up most of the gym space, the audience was placed at the top bleachers upstairs. All guests were also required to wear masks and were spaced apart from one another; the crowd much smaller than in the past. This was the first year the concert was held in the gym so the sound quality and acoustics were not as good as in previous years. Practices and rehearsals were also an issue in preparation for the concert because of remote learning and Covid. Depending on the group, some only got a couple of practices, one rehearsal, and a short preparation rehearsal on the day of the concert. 

Despite the obstacles and the many restrictions from Covid, the overall holiday concert and performance were just as pleasing and fulfilling. The holiday cheer is just what some people need as Christmas peaks just around the corner as Covid numbers rise. The concert was a positive experience that radiates love and positivity. During these times we all need to come together and share that love and happiness. Giving to others is such an important idea around this time of year, and especially this year specifically. The holiday concert did a great job of spreading the holiday cheer.