Get in the Christmas spirit with music by Sumter Community Concert Band

The Sumter Community Concert Band always starts its performances with the Star-Spangled Banner, but the remainder of Sunday's program will comprise Christmas music. The concert begins at 7 p.m. in Patriot Hall with longtime director and Sumter native James H. "Jimmy" Mills directing.

Mills has selected a program of mainly familiar seasonal pieces, including two that describe the theme of Sunday's concert. "A Celebration of Christmas" and "A Christmas Celebration" are both medleys of popular tunes. The former, arranged by Floyd Werle, includes musical quotes from such carols as "Joy to the World," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "Angels We Have Heard on High" and six others; the latter, arranged by Jack Bullock, features tunes from countries around the world. The audience will hear England's "Once in Royal David's City," Czechoslovakia's "Angels and Shepherds," Israel's "Hanukah, O Hanukah," Poland's "Lullaby, Jesu" and four others from Germany, Holland, France and another from England.

Rick Mitchum, band spokesman and trumpet player, said he's particularly happy to play "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year." He said he especially enjoyed hearing the late Andy Williams' version of the song. The band will play Chris Sharp's arrangement by Edward Pola and George Wyle. The "jazzy waltz style" is reminiscent of Williams' rendition.

"Happy Christmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon and Yoko Ono was released in 1971 as a protest song, but has since become a popular Christmas standard, as it celebrates the joy of peace. The band will play Tom Wallace's arrangement.

Jeff Simmons' "Secret Agent Santa," Mitchum said, is a medley of Christmas songs "played with a flair like the 'Mission Impossible' theme." Audience members will recognize "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," "We Three Kings" and "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" among the tunes with a jazz beat.

Trumpet player Robert Berry has the solo in "Holiday Homecoming," a medley of songs evoking memories of past Christmases at home. The arrangement is by Jim Kessler.

Bob Lee has the saxophone solo in "The Christmas Song," also known as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire." The music and lyrics written by Mel Torme and Robert Wells have made the song one of the most popular of the season.

Several other Christmas melodies will be celebrated during the concert, including what is often called the most popular secular Christmas song ever written, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." Its chorus, with the lyrics

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

just like the ones I used to know

where the treetops glisten

and children listen to hear

also evokes memories of Christmases past. The song was first performed by Bing Crosby on his radio program The Kraft Music Hall on Christmas Day in 1941.

Not traditionally a Christmas, "Auld Lang Syne," sung by many people on New Year's Eve, has lyrics from a poem by Robert Burns and a tune from a traditional Scottish folk song.

The public is invited to the 7 p.m. Sunday Christmas concert by the Sumter Community Concert Band at Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St. Admission is free, but donations are accepted at the rear of the auditorium. For information about joining the band, call Rick Mitchum at (803) 775-9265.