By Ryan Mayers

Communications Coordinator

The beginning of winter in Austin means many things, from the return of snow and cold weather to the annual Christmas in the City celebrations in November and December. 

Here at Austin Public Schools, this also marks the beginning of one of our busiest concert seasons.  Over the next month, each site in the district will be holding holiday concerts. These concerts run the gamut from the Woodson Holiday Sing on Dec. 6, where more than 400 kindergarten students will share their excitement for the season through song, all the way to the annual Austin High School Holiday Concert on Dec. 16.

As we have been doing over the past several years, Austin Public Schools will be livestreaming many of the performances via YouTube and Facebook at www.facebook.com/isd492.  Streaming these concerts has allowed relatives and friends from all over the country to be a part of these special performances, and as a bonus, each stream is archived so you can go back and watch them later.

The first holiday performance is at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5, when the IJ Holton Intermediate School and Ellis Middle School choirs present their holiday programs.  Woodson’s Holiday Sing will take place the next day at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6.  The next week, IJ Holton’s orchestra and band students will perform at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively on Monday, Dec. 9.  The next night, the Ellis orchestra and band programs will perform.  The seventh-graders will begin at 6 p.m. and the eighth-graders will perform at 7 p.m.  Finally, the AHS Holiday Concert will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 16. Each of these concerts will take place in AHS Knowlton Auditorium with the exception of the Ellis concert on Dec. 10, which will be held in Ellis Auditorium.

Additionally, each elementary site will hold concerts as well.  Neveln will hold grade level concerts on Tuesday, Dec. 10.  First grade will perform at 9:30 a.m., second grade at 1:15 p.m., third grade at 12:15 p.m, and fourth grade at 1:30 p.m.

Southgate will hold their performances on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8:30 a.m, 10:15 a.m., and 1 p.m.  Please note, the Southgate performances will feature all students instead of being grade level specific.

Banfield will hold their Holiday concerts on Friday, Dec. 13. First grade will perform at 9:30 a.m, fourth grade at 10:15 a.m., second grade at 12:30 p.m, and third grade at 1:30 p.m.

Finally, Sumner will also hold their concerts at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13. Again, these are not grade level performances.

As you can see, December is a busy month for APS students, with a plethora of musical opportunities the holiday spirit is alive and well.

Be sure to check us out on social media via Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube @isd492, and don’t miss all the amazing concerts coming soon!