ONTARIO CHAFFEY COMMUNITY SHOW BAND
https://www.showband.net
Dr. Gabe Petrocelli, Director
R. Jack Mercer, Founder

TO: Our Show Band Family
FROM: Your Band Director
WHAT'S UP? "Holiday Traditions"
WHERE? Gardiner W. Spring Auditorium
WHEN? Monday, December 16, 2024
WHAT TIME? 7:30 pm Sharp
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? $0000000000.00

Dear Friends and Music Lovers,

The musicians of the Ontario Chaffey Community Show Band and the Memory of Mary Watson-Ortiz are proud to present "Holiday Traditions" on Monday, December 16, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.  The concert will be held at Gardiner W. Spring Auditorium located on the campus of Chaffey High School at 1245 N. Euclid Ave. in Ontario.  The Woodwind Celebration Ensemble will present a pre-concert recital in the auditorium lobby at 7:00 p.m.  Complimentary coffee and cookies will be served in the lobby prior to the concert.  The performance is FREE to the public.

The December concert features a repertoire of traditional and contemporary holiday music highlighted by talented soloists that include guest artists Susan Hitch and David Pentecost, Show Band Soloists Natasha Le, Joscelyn Washington, Pat Arnold... and the outstanding musicians of the Show Band.

Handbell soloist Susan Hitch is an amazing solo bell ringer and musician.  Her involvement with music started with the clarinet in the 4th Grade.  Seventeen years later, she was introduced to handbells and it has since become an enduring relationship.  Traveling has given her the opportunity to play bell solos in England, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Canada as well as the Western United States.  After 34 years of driving for the United Parcel Service, 27 years of which were driving big rigs, she is retired.  Susan was a long-time member of the Claremont United Congregational Church Bell Choir and currently plays recorder in several organizations.  She will perform three of her arrangements, two with Show Band accompaniment entitled "Good King Wenceslas and Friend" and "Winter Holiday Mashup," and "Christmas Angels" in a solo performance.

David Pentecost grew up playing classical piano from the age of 5 and continued on to play piano for the Asia America Youth Orchestra in high school, conducted by maestro and grammy award winning jazz artist David Benoit.  He discovered that he could sing when he joined the choir at Christ Lutheran Church of West Covina in high school under the direction of the late Hughes Huffman (USC).  He then studied vocal performance while attending Peru State College in Nebraska and would win the National Association of Teachers State Conference in 2015.  David was the music director for Desert Hills Church, and Lifepath Church, and in 2018 sang in the back up choir for the Andrea Bocelli Christmas concert in Phoenix Arizona.  He will be featured in a performance of the holiday classic "O Holy Night."

Talented and versatile Show Band musician Natasha Le will sing two well-known holiday songs, "The Christmas Song" and "White Christmas."  Assistant Director Pat Arnold and Show Band clarinetist Joscelyn Washington will team up to sing a holiday duet entitled "Baby, It's Cold Outside."

The outstanding musicians of the Show Band will be highlighted on a number of holiday concert selections that include "A Christmas Festival" by noted American composer Leroy Anderson, "Winter Magic" written by music producer and composer Pinkzebra, the exciting Latin carol "Feliz Navidad," and "Winterscape," the composer by Gavin Lendt's attempt to capture the magic of a wintery journey through his composition.  The concert will conclude with the audience joining the Show Band in the timeless Christmas song "Silent Night."  The performance will be narrated by Dr. Mathew Holton, Superintendent of the Chaffey Joint Union High School District and Mrs. Shawna Holton.

Click to download this Flyer

Please be sure to join us for an exciting evening of holiday music and do not forget to invite your family and friends!  You can also support the Show Band by visiting and feeding our Hungry Tuba located in the lobby of the auditorium.  This concert will be broadcast on local Ontario cable Channel 3.  Check your cable listings for the date and time.  For additional information regarding these performances or the rest of Show Band's upcoming concert season, please check our website at www.showband.net and follow the Show Band on Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram.

The community can help support the Ontario Chaffey Community Show Band by becoming a patron of The Friends of the Ontario Chaffey Community Show Band Concert Society for $25.  Become a Bronze Baton donor for $50-$100; Steel Baton $150-$200; Silver Baton $250; Gold Baton $500; Platinum Baton $1,000 and Diamond Baton $2,500.  Individuals or businesses may also become a Show Sponsor for $1,000.  For more information on sponsoring a show, contact director Dr. Gabe Petrocelli at gabe@showband.net.  All Donor names will be included on every program and our website for the entire concert season.  Baton and Show Sponsors will also receive complementary DVDs of each performance.  The Friends of the Ontario Chaffey Community Show Band is a registered charity under Internal Revenue Code Section 501 C (3); EIN # 46-1422958.  Checks may be made out to: Friends of the OCCSB, P/O Box 1512, Ontario, CA 91762.

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The Ontario Chaffey Community Show Band was founded in 1985 by R. Jack Mercer and is now under the direction of Dr. Gabe Petrocelli with assistant directors David Schaafsma and Pat Arnold.  Band members represent at least two dozen communities throughout Southern California.  Adult and student musicians are invited to participate.  No auditions!  Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings from 7 to 9:00 p.m. at the Chaffey High School Jack Mercer Band Room.  The band performs monthly concerts in the Gardiner W. Spring Auditorium and at other venues throughout the community.  All performances are free to the public.

Your Band Director,
Gabe