This month, musical performers from Moorhead High School and Horizon Middle School have been making appearances both around the district and throughout the community to share the joy of the holiday season.
In early December, Horizon’s Honor Band and Honor Choir embarked on separate full-day holiday tours around the area. On December 7, the Honor Band played shows at Serenity Assisted Living in Dilworth and West Acres Mall in Fargo before returning to Moorhead to perform at Probstfield Elementary. The band also undertook an hour of community service while at Serenity. On December 12, the Honor Choir spent the morning singing for the elementary schools around the district before having their own performance at West Acres Mall.
Though sharing the holiday spirit was the main objective of these tours, these musicians’ elementary school performances also had the added benefit of making the younger Spuds aware of performing arts opportunities available to them when they reach Horizon.
On the high school side, an incredibly busy holiday season started two days before Thanksgiving, with the Apollo Strings and MHS Carolers performing at the Holiday Kickoff. Since then, performances have spanned the entire metro with shows in Moorhead, Fargo, West Fargo and Dilworth—including iconic venues like the Fargo Theater, Rourke Art Museum and Bonanzaville.
The groups, along with the MHS Jazz Band, were also the first performers in the new MHS, playing during the December 17 Academic Wing Preview event. This event also featured appearances by a pair of beloved former directors, as Kathie Brekke led the Carolers for the day and Jon Larson sat in with the Apollo Strings.
December also saw the final holiday concerts in the current MHS theater, with a combined show with the Apollo Strings, MHS Carolers, Vocal Jazz Choir and Jazz Band on December 4 and other holiday concerts for individual disciplines ahead of winter break.