Holiday tunes were resonating throughout the Senior Center last Tuesday thanks to the Oxford High School Chamber Orchestra.
The 14-member group led by Marissa Casano, director of orchestra at OHS, serenaded the audience with a 45-minute program filled with familiar carols as well as some intricate pieces that captivated everyone who listened.
“The Chamber Orchestra is comprised of the top tier students of the orchestra program at Oxford,” Casano said. “Most of them have played for at least seven to eight years if not longer and they meet four days a week in the morning before school from about 6:45 to 7:30.”
If volunteering to wake up earlier than normal wasn’t enough, the students range from ninth to twelfth grade and all have a 3.5 GPA or higher.
“They all work really hard and they are all involved in either the IB program or the diploma program or early college program, so they are all honor students or advanced placement students who are working hard not only in music, but the academics as well,” Casano said.
While these students have busy schedules, one thing they enjoy doing is performing in and around the community and Casano is working to help expand that. Another performance is scheduled at the Senior Center on St. Patrick’s Day as well as plans to collaborate with BeeHive Homes of Oxford, an assisted living facility located just south of the high school.
Once the performance was over, guests and musicians were encouraged to mingle over light refreshments and appetizers provided by Connie’s KitchenZ. As everyone started to gather their belongings and head home for the evening, snow began to fall, adding the finishing touch on this holiday gathering.