News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Finding seasonal activities isn't a difficult task in the town of Sisters.
The Holiday Showcase, hosted at Sisters High School (SHS), was just one of the events that took place recently, and was a major success and increased the holiday spirit of all participants to a new height.
The SHS Jazz Choir directed by Steve Livingston, as well as the Concert and Jazz Bands directed by Kayla Golka, were major parts of the concert.
Senior Jazz Choir member Serafina Smith joined the SHS Jazz Band for a beautiful performance of "Silver Bells."
The Concert Band kicked off the performance by playing "Feliz Navidad," and "Last Christmas," while the Jazz Band performed "Silver Bells" with guest vocalist Serafina Smith and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."
The Jazz Choir followed by performing, "Carol of The Bells," "Deck the Halls," "We Three Kings," "Bidi Bom," and "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer."
The student-led SHS Jazz Combo, newly reinstated this year with a handful of high school students, also performed renditions of "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "My Favorite Things."
The Sisters Dance Academy continued their annual participation. The Junior Ensemble performed "Frosted Window Panes," and the Advanced Jazz Ensemble brightened the mood with "New York" before intermission.
The Schooligans - Julie Cash, Kayla Golka, Melissa Stolaz, and Steve Livingston - performed a special song-and-dance number, "Sisters," inspired by the nostalgic movie "White Christmas."
The Holiday Showcase was made even more special by a number of community-member performances. Trey Hinkle played his own arrangement of several holiday piano songs, siblings Ty Salhberg and SHS senior Emma Sahlberg performed a vocal duet, followed by musical duo Brian Cash and Rachel Otasu who livened the atmosphere with a traditional Irish jig and "Christmas for Cowboys." Lastly - and much to SHS students' delight - The Schooligans, a group made up by Choir Director Steve Livingston, Band Director Kayla Golka, Musical Education Assistant Julie Cash, and Fiddle/Science Teacher Melissa Stolaz, performed "Snow," and "Sisters," from the nostalgic movie "White Christmas," but with reinvented lyrics.
The showcase is a major fundraiser for the SHS Band and Choir programs, and, thanks to parent volunteers, there were more opportunities to donate than ever. From basket raffle tickets to "Break-a-Leg" kits that included glowing pins and necklaces you could buy for performing students, all attending were encouraged to help give back to the programs.
"My favorite moment was seeing all 25-plus raffle and auction items that Erin Borla and The Roundhouse Foundation collected and set up. Thanks to them and our generous and supportive community we were able to raise just under $4,000...this evening warmed my heart!" said Golka.
To end the night the audience was encouraged to stand up and join in on a festive sing-along while performers sang with them on stage.
"It was exciting to see everyone showing up to share their talents in support of the music program and all of our amazing students," said Livingston.
The evening was a success and left both participants and audience members feeling festive, and proud of their friends and family who were part of it.
Additional holiday acts are welcome to apply in the fall of 2025.
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