The Lehighton Area Middle School Music Department will present their 20th annual holiday program on Tuesday, Dec. 11, in the auditorium. The fifth and sixth grade will begin at 6:30 p.m. The seventh and eighth grade band and choirs will begin at 7:45 p.m. The doors will open at 6 p.m.

The Jazz Ensemble will begin the program. "Jingle Bells," a cool arrangement of the iconic carol, will kick off the concert. Next, the jazz ensemble will perform one of the most popular Christmas songs of the 20th century, "Feliz Navidad." Cera Bowman and Caine Carpenter will be featured on this number. The jazz ensemble is under the direction of Thomas Weidner.The fifth and sixth grade band, under the direction of Weidner, will perform next. The fifth and sixth grade band will perform the spirited "The King's Flourish" which is based off the carol "Good King Wenceslas." "First Rockin' Christmas," blend of "Up on the Housetop" and "Jingle Bells," will be their next selection.Next the fifth and sixth grade band and the Treble Chorale will combine to perform a stirring Hanukkah selection, "Festival of Lights." For this number, over 130 fifth and sixth graders will be performing together simultaneously.The Treble Chorale, consisting of fifth and sixth grades, under the direction of Weidner, will conclude the first half of the program. The Treble Chorale will perform the spirited, "Minka." Next, the chorus will perform "Christmas Gloria" which combines original melodies and the French carol "Angels We Have Heard on High." The Treble Chorale will conclude their portion of the program with a spunky piece entitled, "Zoot Suit Santa."The seventh and eighth grade portion of the program will begin with the show choir, Music Express Junior, under the direction of Laura Welkey. Music Express Junior will be opening with the original "Swingin' At Santa's Place." Next, the talents of the eighth grader Todd Schaeffer will be featured on the jazzy "Santa Claus Boogie." Sparklejollytwinklejingely," from the Broadway musical "Elf," will provide an exciting conclusion to their portion of the program.The seventh and eighth grade concert band, under the direction of Beth Perkins, will perform next. Their first selection will be "A Renaissance Christmas" arranged by Johnny Vinston. Next the seventh and eighth grade band will perform an arrangement of several Christmas favorites entitled, "Christmas Tradition." The catchy, "Christmas Isn't Christmas Without a Little Rock 'n' Roll" will be there third selection. The seventh and eighth grade band will conclude their portion of the program the humorous "Holiday Funny Favorites."The Choraliers, the seventh and eighth grade chorus under the direction of Laura Welkey, will perform next. They will open their portion of the program with "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas" from Home Alone 2. Brianna Keiser will accompany the chorus on their next selection, "All is Merry and All is Bright." Next, the Choraliers will perform two classic Bach chorales. Brianna Keiser will provide accompaniment on "Break Forth, O Beauteous Light" while Elise Johnston will accompany "A Child Born in Bethlehem." Elise Johnston will accompany "He Is Bron with Pat-a-Pan" along with Morgan Steigerwalt, an eighth grade flute player. The Choraliers will conclude their portion of the program with "Extraordinary Merry Christmas" featured on the television series, "Glee" and a novelty entitled "Christmas Gift Rap."The snow date for the program will be Tuesday, Dec. 18. The concert is open to the public and all are welcome to attend. A small admission fee may be taken at the door.