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Kamas Valley Choir will celebrate Christmas Around the World

Like the Christmas season it celebrates, the Kamas Valley Community Choir comes together once a year to present the Kamas Valley Community Christmas Program.

The choir, which is comprised of 45 singers from around Summit County, started this tradition 10 years ago, said choir member Howard Sorensen.

"We invite people to come and sing and we practice from November into December and perform a concert," Sorenson said during an interview with The Park Record. "It’s just an event that will celebrate the season and promote love."

This year’s performance will be held in the new DeJoria Center at High Star Ranch on Saturday, Dec. 12. Admission is free.

The theme this year is "Christmas Around the World."

"The program changes each year as does the choir director," Sorensen said. "So, we ask the choir director, who is Geri Gibbs from Woodland this year, to select the songs and recruit the special side groups to play. It’s like directing a movie. He or she pulls everything together that comes with the theme."

Saturday’s performance will feature diverse and international Christmas music including carols form India and Africa.

"We’ll also perform a Welsh carol and one from the Old West, a cowboy number," Sorenson said. "These all bring in the celebration of the birth of Christ and how it’s celebrated in many different cultures and countries.

"This particular program will feature the choir and an orchestra that consists of maybe 30 to 35 musicians from all around the valley, including Park City," he said. "Brad Flinders, who lives in Kamas, is the orchestra conductor."

The concert will also feature guest musicians and singers.

"There will be special numbers by a bluegrass cowboy band, a children’s choir with violins and a Hispanic choir comprised of members of the local Hispanic community," Sorenson said. "We are also planning at least two, if not three numbers where the audience will get to sing along."

Santa Claus will also make an appearance.

"He’ll be there at 6 p.m. for anyone who would like their kids to see him," Sorensen said.

The goal of these annual concerts is to bring the community together during the holiday season and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, according to Sorensen.

"For those who are Christian, Christmas is probably the biggest celebration of the year," he said. "However, we have gone to great extents such that anyone who attends will not feel like we’re trying to proselyte or convert anyone.

"All of us who live in Summit County, regardless of our beliefs and backgrounds, have so much more in common than we do differences," Sorenson said. "That’s one purpose of the choir. The other is just to get members of the community who love the arts to come and participate. It’s jus a non-denominational Christian celebration designed to involve everyone in a common celebration."

Sorenson is looking forward to performing in the newly built DeJoria Center.

"It’s a beautiful facility," he said. "The stage, the lighting and sound system is just remarkable. We are grateful they are opening it up to the community. DeJoria Center owners are happy to have us there because they want to present some community-oriented events as well. That’s very generous of them."

The doors for the concert will open at 6 p.m.

"That way, people will be able to look around the center and buy concession meals that will consist of hamburgers and French fries," Sorenson said.

The Kamas Valley Choir, directed by Geri Gibbs, will perform the Kamas Valley Community Christmas Program, "Christmas Around the World," that will feature choir and orchestra at the DeJoria Center at High Star Ranch, 970 S.R. 32 in Kamas, on Saturday, Dec. 12. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Geri Gibbs at gerigibbs@gmail.com .

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