Christmas has officially started in Oswestry as carols and festive songs have been sung at a community event.
Christmas jumpers were aplenty and everyone was in fine song at the Christmas Music event at St Martin’s Parish Church on Monday (November 20th).
Ellesmere Sinfonia, a community orchestra based at Ellesmere College, and Ellesmere College Choral Society were invited to sign a range of traditional and modern pieces – and there were opportunities for the community to join in.
Director of Music at the College, Anthony Coupe, said: “It was a fantastic event. The audience got fully involved in singing a range of traditional carols, ably supported by the 60-strong choir and orchestra.
“This joyous event which saw the choir and orchestra swapping their traditional scarves and DJs for Christmas jumpers, ended with food and drinks supplied by the performers.
“The evening drew together people from across the region and, even though it may have been a bit early for Christmas, it brought out all of the best qualities we associate with the festive period.”
Ellesmere Sinfonia gave performances of the ‘William Tell Overture’, selections from the Snowman Suite and Leroy Anderson’s ‘Sleigh Ride’.
The Choral Society performed carols including Ding Dong Merrily on High, In the Bleak Midwinter, Gaudete and a beautiful Polish carol, Infant Holy, Infant Lowly.
It is just one of many community opportunities put on by Ellesmere College, which offers both orchestral players and singers from across the region a chance to get involved in music making on a Monday every week during term time.
For more information about music at Ellesmere visit the music page of the school website.