Christmas Classics And Hidden Gems Await at Annual Concert

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- You can enjoy a concert of festive holiday music for free in St. Cloud on Thursday. The St. Cloud Municipal Band (SCMB) will present its annual Christmas Concert at 7:00 p.m. at the Whitney Senior Center. The show will feature traditional holiday favorites plus some other not-as-well-known songs.

What kind of music do they play at the concert?

Associate Director Lowell Larson says they try to stick with songs they know the audience loves:

"We try to find a new one occasionally that will give the audience a little bit of variety from what we always play, but I think people like the traditional songs year after year, even if it's the same arrangements. We sometimes try to mix it up a little bit with going with a different arranger, but generally you're gonna hear a very similar concert year after year but that's tradition."

Larson says the annual Christmas concert is one of the band's favorites to do, and the Whitney Senior Center is a great partner for the show:

"This is one we really like, always a good crowd, always well attended, Whiteny is a great host, and we just love to play the Christmas tunes, even if it is the same ones year after year, doesn't matter. We don't play any real strange things; we play pretty much traditional, secular, and sacred, and the audience seems to really appreciate it."

Larson says they do work in a few specialty numbers every year to help mix things up. The Municipal Band has been putting on the annual Christmas Concert for over 20 years. There is a social hour at 6:15 p.m. with free cookies and hot chocolate as well.

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT