Jazz Choir to continue holiday tradition

There will be no Magical Voices of Christmas show this year - but there will be voices raised in song.

For 15 years, The Magical Voices of Christmas concert was one of the first harbingers of the festive season in Sisters. An evening of music, holiday celebration and community togetherness, the event featured music, skits and home-baked cookies at intermission. Organized by the Rotary Club of Sisters, the event was a fundraiser for the Sisters schools music programs. For various reasons, the Rotary Club decided this year to take a break from their evergreen event.

Enter the Sisters High School Jazz Choir. This group of the 16 top vocalists in the school, under the leadership of Rick Johnson, generate youthful enthusiasm along with their talent. Happily for Sisters, they decided to continue the tradition of a community holiday variety show.

The Jazz Choir will present A Holiday Showcase on Friday, December 12, at 7 p.m. in the Sisters High School auditorium. It is a fundraiser for the choir, and a suggested donation of $5 is appreciated, but not required for admission. A donation to the Kiwanis Food Bank is also appreciated.

Intermission includes cookies plus entertainment by the members of the school band program.

The Jazz Choir members will act as masters of ceremonies, interjecting skits and jokes between acts.

The choirs from all three schools are featured, as are several local groups. The dancers from Sisters Dance Academy will show off their skills, and two regional groups are in the program. The Central Oregon Harmoneers - a barbershop quartet - are coming, as is the Sisters Radio Group. The latter puts on old-time radio shows, this time taking to the stage with their particular brand of humor and nostalgia.

"We're aiming to make it as enjoyable as possible," said Johnson. "We see this as a very fun way to earn a bit of money, plus give back to the community."

Johnson noted that two raffle quilts are available for perusal on the night. Both were created by local quilter Susan Cobb. One of the quilts, an art wall-hanging featuring a cellist, will be awarded to a fortunate silent auction bidder during the Holiday Showcase. The other has tickets available for purchase, and the winner will be drawn at the end of the school year.

Auditions take place on December 2 for four remaining soloist spots. The Jazz Choir will run the auditions and choose the finalists. The final program will be a true variety show. And ... it has been confirmed that Santa will attend.