The 2022 Winter Fine Arts Expo is finally here!! Join the community and help support the arts during this jolly and festive time of year! Warm up your frostbite with some filling and a warm feeling of musical nostalgia with many of the selections chosen for the event. The performances will be held in the Gaffney High School Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. with FREE ENTRY for all friends, family, or even relatives who are just visiting town on December 13th and December 15th.

On the 13th we will have the sixth-grade bands from not only Gaffney middle school but also Ewing middle school. Directing Ewing Middle will be the one and only Mrs. Jennifer Cantrell. She is an amazing educator who teaches the fundamentals of music to grades 6th-8th as well as helping out the High School Band during marching season. The songs the Ewing Middle 6th graders perform on the 13th will be blasts of the season with songs such as A Christmas Sleigh Ride composed by Sandy Feldstein and John O’Reilly, A Beginning Song Medley Arr. by Jennifer Cantrell, and Jingle Bells traditionally. The 7th and 8th-grade students on the 15th will be performing Carol of the Kings arranged by Mekel Rogers, Silent Night arranged by Sandy Feldstein and John O’Reilly, and Santa the Barbadian composed by Randall Standbridge! More arrangers and Composers will be announced on the nights of the expo for the Ewing Middle bands!

Directing Gaffney Middle’s concert band will be the well-known and respected Mr. Elliot Rawls who also teaches music to kids in grades 6th-8th as well as helps out with the High School band during competition season. Their music selection this year for the 6th-grade beginner’s ensemble will be the following songs: First Winter’s Sleigh Ride composed by John O’Reilly, Up On The Housetop arranged by Michael Sweeney, and finally, B B Christmas arranged by Nicholas Forte on the 13th. The Middle School Jazz Bands of Gaffney also directed by Mr. Rawls will be presenting those feel-good songs such as Dashing Through The Snow arr. by Andy Clark, The First Noel arranged by Peter Blair, and Frosty The Snowman arranged by Michael Sweeney! The following Thursday (the 15th), Gaffney Middles’ 7th and 8th-grade advanced band selections for the captivated audience will be the ensuing names: Do You Hear What I Hear, A Holly Jolly Christmas, and Carol Of The Bells.

The first of two choral groups taking the stage on the 13th will be the Ewing Middle School chorus director Mrs. Lori Allison who has taught a great many grades over her years and will be having her students on brand new stands thanks to the district putting more funding into the chorus programs of Gaffney. The songs the future of the arts will be singing their hearts out to will be the following selections: We Need A Little Christmas arranged by Lori Allison, Whisper, Whisper composed by Jay Althouse and Christmas Time Is Here by Vince Guaraldi.

The second choral group to bless your ears will be presented on the stage of the Winter Fine Arts Expo is the Gaffney Middle School Chorus group led and directed by Mrs. Ellen Owens who teaches grades 6th-8th at Gaffney Middle School. Music selections chosen for the event of the Christmas season are the following oh-so-merry picks: Christmas Jubilation written by Mike Wilson, African Noel arranged by Dave and Jean Perry, and Have A Happy, Happy Holiday written by Teresa Jennings.

Also performing on the 13th is none other than Gaffney High’s very own G-Town Advanced Jazz ensemble. Unlike previous years, the man who started the ensemble will not be over it. This year for the first time ever in the Winter Expo, G-Town will be conducted by the one and only; Mr. Francis Norris. During this, as he calls “silly season” his jazz band will be showcasing holly jolly jazz arrangments such as Chattanooga Choo Choo arranged by Mike Story, No L In Swing arranged also by Mike Story, Who Let The Elves Out arr. by Victor Lopez, Deck The Halls With Bones and Saxes composed by Andy Clark, and Hooked On Holidays composed by Victor Lopez. This jazz group is sure to blow your socks off with the Christmas spirit this holiday season. These kids choose to be part of a much harder and more advanced jazz band to truly get that nice feeling of performing something they truly love and to be able to pour their hearts and soul into the swing of things around Gaffney High School makes each day better.

The last performing group of the 2022 winter fine arts expo will be Gaffney High’s Band Of Gold concert-setting advanced ensemble with students from the 9th to 12th grade conducted by Mr. Francis Norris once more. As the notes flow through the pages for the students the sounds will gracefully please the ears with songs such as You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch arranged by Mike Story, Sleigh Ride composed by James D. Ployhar, The Thirteen Days Of Christmas composed by Wolfbane Armadillo Mozart and a Christmas Fantasia arranged by Elliot A. Del Borgo.

These kids performing here on the 13th and 15th no matter the grade or school are the future of the musical fine arts so come out and support them in the early days of their passion. Supporting the fine arts is beneficial not only to the fine arts but to the soul if you’re willing to be accepting of the music and have an open mind. Let the music speak to you just as it speaks and possesses the musicians in question.