String group provided holiday taste of heaven

The ice storm didn't turn out to be as bad as predicted locally, but folks who stayed home Saturday were fortunate to have avoided worse conditions elsewhere in the state.

The storm cleared in time to allow Saturday night's KFNF Christmas Lights parade (theme "Naughty or Nice") to come off without a hitch, and shows promise of continuing to be a major holiday tradition.

Despite the storm, the McCook Economic Development Corp. Holiday Housing Tour was a well-attended, memorable event, with the quality of historic housing second to none.

But no official Christmas opening weekend would be complete without the McCook Area Community Chorus concert, and this year's event had something extra special.

Parents of Central Connection students had plenty of which to be proud, as the young singers helped open with the traditional "Antiphonal Gloria" from the balcony of the historic Memorial United Methodist Church.

And, the adult chorus was as talented as ever -- although we think there are a lot more voices that could be taking part.

But for us the highlight was the McCook Chamber Ensemble, the largest local string group assembled in many years.

Performing three selections from Handel's "Messiah," accompanying the vocal chorus and joining Dr. J. Gordon Christensen on the church's magnificent pipe organ, the string ensemble's music provided a taste of holiday heaven.

The group included eight violins, three violas, two cellos and a bass -- many of them students of Cheryl Christner and Maribeth Augustyn, Leanne Miller and Tim Miller, who performed themselves, or lapsed musicians who have picked up their instruments after years of neglect.

It was amusing to see someone step out of a big, four-wheel drive pickup truck carrying a violin, bassist Craig Christner observed.

Chorus director Evie Caldwell said she hoped the ensemble could perform a few pieces by itself next year, and we all certainly hope to hear more from the string section again in the near future.