Submitted

The Grand River Valley Choir and Orchestra will present its annual Winter Concert, Once Upon a December, at 3:30 pm. Saturday, December 13, in the Trenton R-IX Performing Arts Center. The doors Our GRVCO musicians represent the 12 Missouri communities of Cameron. Chillicothe, Gallatin, Jamesport, Kansas City, Laredo, Ludlow, Pattonsburg, Richmond, St Joseph, Trenton, and Weatherby.

The GRV Orchestra will open the program with Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, followed by All Is Calm, It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and Russian Christmas Music.

The GRV Choir will then perform December in My Hometown, The Elf Song, The Lord of Hosts, Behold Our God, and Festival of Christmas.

The GRVCO Choir and Orchestra will combine for Once Upon a December and Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.

Linda Arnold is conductor of the GRV Choir. Raymond Linville is the GRV Orchestral conductor. Sonja Wimer accompanies the choir. Nathan Vandevender, President of the GRVCO board, will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

Raymond Linville is new to our GRVCO organization, but no stranger to Trenton. A 1984 graduate of Trenton High School, he earned his Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Kansas (1988) and a Master’s in Conducting from American Band College in Ashland, Oregon (2005). Linville devoted 33 years to music education as a band director in Kansas before retiring in 2022, and is currently in his fourth year on the band staff for Platte County R-3 Schools. Linville has had a distinguished career, including being recognized as a Kansas Master Teacher (2016) and named Kansas NFHS Music Educator of the Year (2020). Under his direction, bands were invited to perform at six Kansas Music Educators Association conventions, and earned Superior Ratings at 25 State Music Festivals. He is married to Julie Plumb Linville, also a 1984 Trenton High School graduate.

GRVCO is a non-profit organization. We have no sponsors, but rely on donations. All performances are free due to our Donors Club and the anonymous donors who contribute at our concerts. Your financial support helps provide the funds necessary to continue our organization’s mission. Information on our Donors Club will be available at the door. Our special collection will benefit Wright Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Visit our website…grvco.com…and Like us on Facebook for additional information.

Plan to join us December 13 for an evening of enjoyment and the opportunity to meet your musicians during the punch and cookies reception following the concert in the THS Commons.