The afternoon of Dec. 11 was an opportunity for the community to enjoy a Christmas concert from the Nancy Bertoia School of Music.
Bertoia showcased some of her piano, violin, voice and clarinet students who delighted the audience with a selection of holiday classics, as well as other pieces.
The piano group was formed by Sienna Lyons, Nadine and Hannah MacKenzie, Brenyn Groenhuysen and Anatoli Yaremchuk. Riley Baron presented some violin pieces and two pairs of sisters — Taya and Aniyah Hildebrand, and Sophia and Maia Ballard — performed vocal pieces.
Lorna Visser of Hills, B.C., an adult student of Bertoia’s who has been taking clarinet lessons for over 15 years brought out her instrument to round up this two-part recital.
During the first part, the children performed by themselves with Bertoia patiently encouraging them from the side and in the second part, Bertoia joined them on the piano or on duets for violin and clarinet.
Parents and grandparents in the audience with cameras on hand, watched the budding, sharply dressed, but nervous, performers.
In discussing the act of playing a wind instrument, Visser remarked, “it’s quite amazing to take a breath in and blow it out through the instrument in an act of creation.”
To everyone’s delight, Bertoia performed two medleys, first on the piano, then on the violin.
Bertoia said she “enjoys the brightness and the openness of the Robertson United Church and has been using it for over 10 years now.”
It was the perfect backdrop for this delightful afternoon family concert that ended with a group rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” with Hannah MacKenzie on the piano and everyone in the hall singing along before heading out into the perfect winter night.