Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute (MBCI) and Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary and Middle School (WMEMS) are anticipating great turnouts for this year's Christmas concerts.
COVID-19 restrictions have lessened, if not disappeared altogether earlier this year which allowed for spring and fall concerts to happen already. With every concert, fewer restrictions were in place allowing for more people every time and bringing back the feeling of normalcy.
"A year ago when we did our Christmas concert last year, that was already enough just to be able to do a Christmas concert," says Andrew Klassen, the band teacher at MBCI. "We had the whole thing live streamed and we ended up getting about 2000 plus views on that concert."
Klassen also says that this year's concert will consist of a variety of songs played, contemporary, secular, classic carols and more. He compared it to carolers singing different songs at different houses on the same street.
He even noted that at the end of the concert, the audience will be asked to join in on a group Christmas sing-a-long.
MBCI's concert will begin at 7 p.m. tonight at Jubilee Place, it will also be streamed on their Youtube channel for those who won't be able to make it.
Christmas concerts always seem to possess a different hold on people, and these two schools are expecting an overflow of people—which is not a bad thing.
In the last year, many schools opted to host virtual concerts so that people could still enjoy the sweet tunes and vocals of their favourite Christmas songs all the while watching their children perform.
David Stoesz, principal of WMEMS says that everyone is excited, the staff, the children and himself.
"It's super exciting for everyone."
WMEMS will focus the concert around the birth of Christ with every grade participating by either playing instruments or singing songs.
"We have the amazing thrill of telling the story of Christ's birth and of worshiping together in that space, and that's really exciting. That really drives us."
Stoesz acknowledges that the Portage Avenue Church is the perfect environment for hosting a "Christmas-y" gathering.
WMEMS will be celebrating their Christmas concert at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Portage Avenue Church, doors open at 6:00 p.m.
Sat, Dec 9, 7:30 AM
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