Students, alumni share holiday music

Plains High School had its Christmas concert a week earlier, but the music teacher and choir wanted to reach out to the community with additional holiday spirit.

Music teacher Rhiannon Greenwood led her 12-voice choir in a special musical performance at Fred Young Park for the school's 2nd Annual Caroling in the Park concert last Wednesday. The 12-student choir sang nine Christmas songs, including "We Three Kings," "Frosty the Snowman" and "Jingle Bells." During "The Twelve Days of Christmas," choir members randomly selected a person in the crowd and gave them a Christmas ornament signifying the number they were singing.

Nearly 50 people showed up for the concert, which lasted about 30 minutes. Choir members celebrated the season with decorative clothing. Exchange student Tetiana Veremchuk from Ukraine wore a Grinch shirt lined with colored Christmas lights. Billyray Holotta wore a Santa Claus suit, though he had to pull the beard down a bit to sing. "He wanted to dress up as his favorite Christmas character," said his father, Zach Holotta. Even the school superintendent, Dr. Kathleen Walsh, got into the holiday gaiety with a Christmas sweater.

This year's concert was different in that the students invited alumni to join them for the performance from Courtney Subatch, a 2014 graduate, to Florence Anderson, who graduated in 1964. The alumni also included Dr. Barbara Steward, a 2006 graduate. Ten former graduates sang with the choir. "It was cute. I really liked doing it," said Monica Weedeman, a 1995 Plains graduate. Terry Anne Buchanan graduated in New Jersey in 1976, but joined the Plains alumni.

The choir included Holotta, Sarah Anderson, Maddie Carter, Isabella Chaney, Trystan Larsen, Lyla MacDonald, Kenna Miller, Kennedy Starika, Grace Subatch, Veremchuk and Elisabeth Weedeman.

"They sounded great. They were excited to do it," said Greenwood, who graduated from Plains High School in 2012 and started as the music teacher in September. She said they've been rehearsing for more than a week. "It was a joyful sharing of music, friendship and community. The choir had fun and shared their talent," said Walsh.

Nick Ferrara, president of Cancer Network of Sanders County, gave hot cider to the choir and guests. Studs Building and Home donated the use of three portable heaters and members of the choir baked an assortment of cookies for the event.