McMahon Memorial Auditorium will resonate with sounds of Christmas during two free concerts, Dec. 9 and 10. The 77th Army Band will play its annual holiday concert Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. followed by the Cameron University/Lawton Civic Chorale presenting George Friedrich Handel's "Messiah," Dec. 10, at 8 p.m.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. respectively for the two concerts at 801 NW Ferris Ave in Lawton.
Warrant Officer Bridgette Brenmark, 77th Army Band commander, will direct the band program themed "A Holiday Movie." The full concert band, along with rock, country and big band ensembles will perform, with two vocalists contributing their talents throughout.
Though they will play traditional Christmas fare, band members got creative this year and will offer an additional surprise.
"We've created a big story that will reveal itself through the entire concert," said Brenmark, who has been the commander for three months.
She came up with the movie motif, but her band members took that basic idea and added depth to it. In addition to playing music, band members will portray costumed characters and use props and videos to help tell the story.
"It should be a little something for everyone including the kids," she said.
With more than 10 years experience in Army bands, first as an enlisted Soldier before joining the warrant officer corps, Brenmark said she has done Christmas concerts throughout her career, "but nothing like this. I'm really excited to work with the band."
Joining the band are guest musicians from Cameron University as well as Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.
"It's going to be a really good show," she said.
For those who like Christmas with a bit more burr, "Costello's Own" pipe band will also play. The commander said the pipers warmed up for the holiday concert serenading St. Barbara's Day Ball-goers with tunes that included the sounds of AC/DC.
HANDEL'S HALLMARK
"Messiah" became a Christmas holiday tradition, but it dates back to the 18th century when it premiered at Easter. The nearly 100-member Lawton chorale with an accompaniment of professional musicians will celebrate its 75th anniversary.
The holiday tradition is co-sponsored by the Lawton Schubert Music Club and Fort Sill's New Post Chapel. Schubert members founded the concert in 1941, as the United States gathered its forces in the early days of World War II, said Dr. Doris Lambert, Cameron adjunct professor of music. Lambert will again conduct the Lawton chorale, something she has done since 1987. That was the year she accepted the choir director job at New Post Chapel and with it the "responsibility and privilege of conducting 'Messiah,'" from the previous director, she said.
"The concert was first created by people from the community who loved music and wanted to promote and provide musical opportunities in many different genres for the Lawton community," said Lambert. "1941 obviously that was a very significant year, and they wanted to do something as a gift to the community and to encourage the Soldiers and their families at Fort Sill."
Building further on community partnerships, the chorale practices at Cameron University, whose students can also join the chorale and earn academic credit for a humanities class.
Though she doesn't come from a military background, Lambert said she's been on "active duty" since 1987, as the chapel choir director.
"I have such respect for people who serve in the military and have a great love for our country, I'm so deeply appreciative to give something back to them through this wonderful music," she said.
The chorale features singers of all ages, such as Marie Strickland who has sung in the chorale for 58 years. The native of Paris, Texas, arrived in Lawton with her husband, Master Sgt. Dock Strickland.She first joined the New Post Chapel choir then added the annual holiday classic to her repertoire.
"I look forward to it, it starts the season off good," said Strickland, who sings soprano and will celebrate her 88th birthday on New Year's Eve.
"I've been very, very blessed to be able to sing and live that long," she said.
Strickland said the chorale works hard in the months leading up to the concert and that it's especially nice to present it at McMahon where more people can come to hear it.
Drawing upon her love of fashion, Strickland spoke of her future singing in the chorale.
"I wear high heels, and as long as I'm able to, I'm going to wear my high heels. That's the way with the 'Messiah' I'm going to sing it as long as God will let me," she said with mirth and joy belying what the music gives her in return.
Lt. Col. Joseph Scott, 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade deputy commanding officer, and his wife, Emily Copeland, will also sing in the concert. Scott sang with the cadets at West Point where he was the officer in charge of the cadet choir about four years ago when he was an instructor at The Academy. Throughout his military career he's sung in church choirs, and that's where he learned of the Lawton concert.
Scott expressed his admiration for the chorale: "They are an amazingly talented group. Everybody in there is very good at singing and have been doing it here for decades."
He said the cadet choir didn't sing as long a program so there's parts of the Messiah he's had to learn since rehearsals began in October.
"I'm very impressed with the caliber of singers for what's not that big of a community," said the colonel. "Wherever you go to hear it, it's an amazing piece of music -- very emotionally and spiritually stirring."
Alluding to an era where so many options for entertainment are available -- at home and in the community -- Scott said classical music often suffers from lack of interest.
"The enduring nature of this piece, that it continues to be performed every year and be a community-centered thing, there's nothing else like it."
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