On Friday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. at St. Michael's Episcopal Church on Main Street, four Geneseo musical groups performed in the church's Music of the Holiday Season Concert: the Brodie Bass Quintet, Geneseo Carol Choristers, Geneseo Chamber Singers and the Geneseo Chamber Orchestra.
The Orchestra played to a packed audience; as many as sixty people were seated on the floor in the very back of the church. Junior Chris Mandato, a member of both the Brodie Bass Quintet and Geneseo Chamber Orchestra said, "I was thrilled to see how many people attended the performance." Sophomore Hannah McKee, a member of Geneseo Chamber Orchestra, called the packed audience a "great surprise."
Audience members clearly appreciated the hard work of the musicians. Kim Diesel, a freshman, said, "The quality of the groups was really good, all of them…two thumbs way up."
The Brodie Bass Quintet started the concert off with parts of Pachobel's "Canon" and Handel's "Messiah."
They were followed by the Geneseo Carol Choristers, directed by Robert Isgro. This all-female group sang, "The 12 Days of Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland," along with a few other songs. Isgro arranged all of their music.
Geneseo Chamber Singers followed Carol Choristers, singing more classical pieces such as the "Ave Maria," which featured junior Christiana Shorter, Danielle O'Grady and junior Donovan Shickley. They also performed several songs composed by their conductor, Geneseo School of the Arts Director Jack Johnston.
About an hour into the concert, the Orchestra performed a medley of Christmas music, and then "A Chanukah Celebration."
A sing-along of traditional Christmas tunes followed the regular concert; the two choirs flowed down the main aisle of the church and sang, along with the audience, "Deck the Halls," "O Christmas Tree," "Jingle Bells," and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Singers were accompanied by the Geneseo Chamber Orchestra.
Sophomore Ashley Wool, a Carol Chorister, said, "If you can't have fun singing 'Jingle Bells,' you can't have fun doing anything."
McKee said of the concert, "You could really tell that everyone was happy to be there."