Music Matters - Christmas means plenty of Music

By Lori Supinie
President Senseney Music, Inc.

Christmas time is here! The best part of the season has to be Christmas music. While the hustle and bustle can often overwhelm us, holiday music can inspire, lighten our mood, and even calm us. It’s hard to imagine the season without it. Christmas music is virtually everywhere and I consider that a great thing. There’s no other season of the year with such a breadth and depth of musical offerings. Whether you’re a classical music lover, a country music fan, a classic rocker, you name it – there’s a ton of Christmas music to suit your tastes, and then some!

While you can listen to your choices on CD’s, your iPod, or the radio, the best way to enjoy holiday music is at a live performance and there are so many to choose from in Wichita and the surrounding area. Consider, first of all, your local schools! Most of them are busy preparing holiday concerts – choir, band, and orchestra either separately or combined. The students work hard and witnessing their talents and energy can be pretty inspiring in itself. Check your school’s website for choices and information. Local churches, as well, often present special Christmas programs and cantatas meant to inspire spiritual reflection.

There are also local community groups to hear as well. The Wichita Choral Society will be presenting its 65th performance of Handel’s Messiah, at 2:00 p.m. on December 5th at the 1st United Methodist Church in downtown Wichita. You can’t get more glorious than this classic favorite.

The Wichita Community Children’s Choir is also performing it’s Winter Concerts on December 10th at 7:30 p.m. at the 1st Baptist Church of Wichita; and December 12th at 4:00 p.m., also at the 1st United Methodist Church in Wichita. Think "angelic voices": that describes this award-winning group.

Our own Senseney Music Community Band will perform two holiday concerts, as well. On December 9th at 7:00 p.m. the band will perform at the Scottish Rite Auditorium at Topeka and 1st Street in Wichita and again on December 12th at Covenant Presbyterian Church. Both concerts are free.

Even the professional musicians of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra get into the act with a free Holiday Concert at Century II on December 7th at 7:30 p.m. This Wichita favorite features an audience sing-along to help fill you with the Christmas Spirit!

This is but a very small sampling of the many possible opportunities to hear live holiday music here in Wichita. Check the local newspaper for more. These events will be sure to put the "Merry" in Christmas for you and your family!