'Magical Voices' hit the right chord

Sisters Elementary School students performed at Magical Voices of Christmas. photo by Jim Cornelius

The Rotary Club of Sisters gave an advance Christmas present to local residents Friday evening, December 5, with a free concert at the new Sisters High School auditorium.

A crowd of about 200 heard a variety of holiday tunes; saw two live reindeer penned outside the common room; got a chance to chat and have a picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus; and ended up the evening with a community carol sing-along around Santa's sleigh in the high school commons.

Jim Craig, past president of the local Rotary club, opened the festive evening in a white dinner jacket, himself singing a greeting to the crowd and then introduced the Sisters Elementary School Choir directed by Debi Schlatter.

They not only sang well for elementary school students, but Schlatter taught them a bit of choreography with hand gestures, bumps and sways and a turn-around or two.

Jonathan Shepherd offered the piano accompaniment.

Randy King, a fifth grade teacher in La Pine but a Sisters resident, sang three Christmas songs accompanied by his wife, Stephanie.

He had a pet, stuffed, hand-puppet camel on his knee for his first number. The fuzzy animal sang "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth," to a group of youngsters gathered about him.

Tera Clarke led an ensemble from Sisters Middle School in three numbers with soloists moving in and out of the octet.

They performed a particularly stirring rendition of "The Coventry Carol."

Donna Moyer accompanied this group as well as the Sisters High School Jazz Choir, also directed by Clarke.

They rocked and swayed to some jazzy but timely holiday numbers and were well rehearsed with blended, rhythmic harmony.

Mark Kershner, who recently returned from a musical swing including several gigs in New England, mellowed the mixed-age crowd with three numbers from his new CD album, "Winter Crossings."

Craig then gave additional thanks to some sponsors of the traditional Christmas event.

"They made it possible for the Rotary Club this year to admit everyone in attendance without charge," he said.

On behalf of the Rotary Club of Sisters, and the many sponsors, Craig presented three $500 checks to each of the three local school music departments represented by Schlatter and Clarke.

All then adjourned to the common area immediately outside the auditorium for a community carol sing led by King.

This is the seventh consecutive year the "Magical Voices of Christmas" has been sponsored by The Rotary Club of Sisters.