Navy Band to play new, old season classics

Navy Band Northwest will present “A Gift of Music” in this year’s free holiday concert.

Navy Band Northwest will present “A Gift of Music” in this year’s free holiday concert.

The performance, which will feature a wide array of Christmas classics, will begin 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Oak Harbor High School Auditorium.

“We’re excited about the variety of the program,” said the band’s director, Lt. Bruce Mansfield. “There’s a little something for everyone.”

The Silverdale-based band is one of nine fleet bands and covers the Pacific Northwest from Montana to Washington and down to Nevada. The 35-member band performs more than 400 concerts each year, both as a whole band and as smaller ensembles.

While last year’s concert was more jazz heavy, this year will focus on old and new concert band pieces like “March of the Toys” and the award-winning theme song from Disney’s “Frozen.”

Other music will include “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson, a holiday medley sung by a barbershop quartet and a “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” with a live narrator.

Santa and the Grinch are both expected to make an appearance, Mansfield said.

Performances will also include smaller instrument combos such as the Deception Brass delivering a New Orleans-style flavor as well as contemporary rock band Passage.