Ryan Mayer

Austin Public Schools technology integrationist

The holiday season is upon us, and Main Street is lit up with decorations. You can feel a chill in the air, and children and adults alike are brimming with holiday cheer. What better way to help celebrate the season than with music? The second annual Christmas at Home holiday concert and music benefit will be held tonight and tomorrow at the historic Paramount theater in downtown Austin. Each show is different, featuring a varied set of performances by Austin Public Schools students and staff as well as community members, and all money raised will benefit the award-winning Austin Public Schools music program.

Friday night features the Sumner and Southgate Elementary Choirs, Austinaires, Ellis Chamber Orchestra, Clint and Nikki Phillips, Kate Jordal, Pam Koser, and Taylor Bliese. Saturday afternoon’s performance includes the Neveln Elementary Choir, La Fiera, Ellis Small Band Ensemble, Holton Glee Club, Dave Hovland, Ann Flisrand, the Huizinga Family, Angela Kelly, Alice Holst, and Lia and Owen Culbert. Saturday evening’s performance features the Banfield Choir, Jazz One, Ellis Early Bird Choir, Austin Harmonics, Scott Blankenbaker, Brian Koser, Jesse Smith, Kaye Perry, Penny Kinney and Friends, and Carrie Braaten.  Other performers include the Northwestern Singers, the Peter Jacobs Trio, and both a faculty quartet and jazz ensemble.  Each show will end with a finale featuring many of that show’s performers sharing a special holiday song.

Last year’s show was a huge success, raising nearly $12,000 for the Austin Public Schools music programs, which was used to purchase instruments and music as well as to help subsidize trips and activities. This year, we’re hoping raise more money so we can have a bigger impact on our students’ musical education. Tonight’s show is at 7:30 p.m. while tomorrow there will be performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance at 300 N. Main St. or $20 at the door ($5 for students).

So, if you’d like to ring in the season with a great show full of holiday music from staff and students as well as Austin community members, we’d like to cordially invite you to come out to the second annual Christmas at Home concert and celebrate with the APS music department while raising money for a great cause.