Hannibal Area String Orchestra to perform 12 pieces at annual Christmas concert Sunday

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal Area String Orchestra will play 12 pieces during its annual Christmas concert beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, in the Roland Fine Arts Center, 2800 Palmyra Road.

The selections of Christmas and holiday songs include:

• “Christmas Canon”: A beautiful blend of two favorites; “Pachelbel’s Canon in D” with “The First Noel”
• “Silver Forest”: Creates the image of riding through a wintery night on a quest.
• “Who Let the Elves Out?”: A fun twist on Good King Wenceslas.
• “Carol of the Bells/Greensleeves”: Combines two classic Christmas tunes to create a moving vignette
• “Sleigh Ride”: The iconic Leroy Anderson piece that gets everyone in a holiday mood

For a change of pace, the orchestra will play a section of one of the most famous oratorios of all time — “Overture to Messiah”. This will be followed by “Troika” by Sergi Prokofiev, a sleigh ride in the neoclassical Russian style. For the finale, the audience will take a wild ride with “Siberian Sleigh Ride.”

The organization is made up of three groups: the beginning and Intermediate string orchestras, and the advanced string orchestra directed by Katie Schisler with John Ferguson as assistant director. The string orchestra currently has about 45 members including piano, guitars and percussion on some pieces.

The public is invited, and admission is free. A free-will offering will be taken to help cover the cost of music and other expenses.