“Songs of the Season” scheduled for Nov. 28

Published or Revised November 09, 2006

The Paris Junior College Chorale will join with the top choral groups from Paris High School and North Lamar High School to present the 18th annual Christmas extravaganza, "Songs of the Season", at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28, in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church. This has become a beloved tradition in Paris and features 150 of the county's best young voices. This year the combined group will present their usual combination of traditional and brand new Christmas favorites which will include: "Carols of the Night", "A Feast of Carols", "Carol of the Bells", "We Three Kings", "The First Nowell", and "Mary, Did You Know?" New selections will include "Go Where I Send Thee", a joyous spiritual written for young women; and "Little Saint Nick", which will feature the men of the choir. A special guest for the evening will be Eva Williams, former Roxton choral director, who will play the piano for an exciting new spiritual, "Let Everything That Hath Breath." This grand choir will be accompanied by string players from the Dallas area along with brass, woodwind, and percussion instrumentation provided by the area band directors and musicians. There will be an audience sing-a-long as well as a finale continuing feature of this annual event, which will be the presentation of George Frederic Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah." Tickets are now on sale at the Paris Junior College Music Department Office, the Paris High School Choir Room, the North Lamar High School Choir Room, Newman Towne and Country Realty, and the office of First United Methodist Church. Ticket prices are $7 per person, while children under 5 are admitted free with an adult. Tickets must be purchased in advance. However, Brenda Jewett from Newman Towne and Country has promised to keep ticket sales going on at their establishment until one half hour before the concert begins. Patricia Fowzer directs the Paris Junior College Chorale. Jan Blize directs the PHS choirs, and Rebecca Hildreth serves as the NLHS choral director. Keyboard accompanists will be Dottie Billman from Paris High School and Charles Shelton from Paris Junior College. With each passing year, the quality of this concert becomes more and more outstanding. These dedicated directors help their students achieve honor after honor including U.I.L. Sweepstakes awards, Solo and Ensemble honors, All Region, All Area, and even All State Choir honors. Fowzer and the high school choir directors encourage attendees to bring their families and get into the spirit of the Christmas season in what has become one of the most unique and wonderful musical experiences that can be found in December in Paris, Texas.