Lincoln School music students celebrate Christmas with a pair of concerts

Lincoln student had the chance to show off their musical talents during a pair of concerts in the Lincoln School gym last week.

The elementary students served up a some Christmas cheer Wednesday evening, Dec. 14, with each class from Pre-K through sixth grade handling classic Christmas tunes including the first graders rendition of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and fourth graders playing "Jolly old Saint Nicholas" on recorders.

Fifth graders, accompanied by sixth graders keeping tempo with 'boomwhackers," tackled a little latin with "Dona Nobis Pacem" and the fifth and sixth grade band followed up with a performance that included "Jingle Bells" and "My Dreydll."

The evening wrapped up with Katie Gallagher, Ryan Perez, Jesse Fallis and Garret reading " 'Twas the night before Christmas," before all the students came together to serenade the crowd with "We Wish You A Merry Christmas."

The following night, the Lincoln Junior High and High School bands showed off both vocal and instrumental skills in their Holiday Band Concert.

The Junior Higg band performed "Here We Come A-Caroling," "Up On The Housetop" and Dance of the Reed Flutes," before Lincoln Senior JR Tolan stepped up for a solo performance. Though not typically Christmas fare, his rendition of the Frank Sinatra classic "My Way" wowed the crowd.

The High School band followed with performances of "A Holiday Processional," "Gingerbread Men on Parade" and "Deck the Halls with Chips and Salsa."

Finally, all band members gathered for the finale, "Christmas 'A la' Big Band."

Unlike some past holiday concerts that brought all the students together for a one-night event, Lincoln's new music teacher Hailey Rasmussen opted to spread the performances out over two evenings.

"I wanted to give each of the age groups their own time to shine," she said. "Personally I think it's easier to go through two shorter concerts than one really long one. It's easier on the kids too."

Rasmussen is in her first year as Lincoln's music teacher and was pleased with both concerts."I think it went really well. I'm really proud of the kids. They've done some really good work."

In particular she appreciated that the bands came together and tackled "Christmas 'a la' Big Band."

"That jazz piece was a monster," she said. "It was a lot for me to ask of them, but they did it."

Rasmussen took on the Lincoln Schools music program as a new teacher this year. "This is my first year full-time, but I spent a couple years teaching part time in Missoula,"

Rasmussen is originally from Washington, but moved to Anaconda at 13. After graduating from high school there, she went college in Missoula. She said she really likes Lincoln. "I've always been in a small town. It's nice to be in a close community again."

Since starting, Rasmussen has been busy rebuilding the music program, including re-instituting the pep band, which has played at recent home basketball games.

"There is a lot of high energy in the younger years, like middle school and down," she said. "The high schoolers I do have are dedicated, there are just a few of them. I think in the next few years we'll have a pretty strong music program. It seems like they're up for it."

For the past few years, the Lincoln School music program has seen its share of ups and downs. During the 2019-20 school year the school was without a music program after the departure of Melissa Gilbert, but pulled together an elementary Christmas program spearheaded by teachers Stacey Mannix and Katie Spencer.

Darryann Gonzalez came on board for the 2020-2021 school year, but was forced to cancel the holiday concert in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, long-term substitute teacher Cory Burns led the holiday program as Gonzalez dealt with health issues that led to her leaving the position.