COLDSPRING — Following the town lighting and the excitement of Christmas on the Square, the holiday season in San Jacinto County continued in grand fashion with the second annual San Jacinto County Christmas Concert, held on Saturday, just days before Christmas.
A packed house filled the County Shelter as anticipation grew for an evening of music, fellowship, and celebration. As the choir and orchestra took the elevated stage, it quickly became clear that this was no ordinary holiday gathering, a full orchestra accompanied the choir, creating a rich and powerful sound rarely heard in a community setting.
Before the scheduled 4:30 p.m. start time, Greg Cones, Community Sing-Along Leader, warmly welcomed arriving guests by leading the audience in familiar Christmas carols. His energy and enthusiasm set the tone for the evening and brought the crowd into the Christmas spirit even before the concert officially began.
The Community Voices of San Jacinto County presented “What Sweeter Music: A Festival of Carols,” a beautifully arranged program by Mark Hayes and directed by Andrew Main. From the opening notes, the performance captivated the audience. The choir’s harmonies, paired with the orchestra’s depth and precision, created a moving and memorable experience.
Sound for the evening was provided by Ben Lindsey, with video production by John Fletcher of Smart Video Services, ensuring the concert was enjoyed to its fullest both live and beyond the venue.
One of the evening’s most memorable moments came during a solo performance by Rebecca Darby, which drew an overwhelming response from the audience and stood out as a true highlight of the night.
The concert brought together choir members from churches across the county, including Bethel Family Worship Center, Big Creek Cowboy Church, Calvary Baptist Church, Coldspring Methodist Church, First Baptist Coldspring, Lone Star Cowboy Church, Northway Church of The Woodlands, Paul Horton Methodist, Pine Forest Baptist, Rural Shade Baptist, St. Andrew’s Lutheran, and St. Stephen Catholic Church.
The orchestra featured talented local and regional musicians, including David Woods, Flute Luc Butler, Clarinet Chase DeBord, Oboe Ryan Lancaster, Trumpet Timothy LeBlanc, Horn Michael Keig, Trombone Ace Hughes and Luke Sonday, Violin Makayla Odafe, Viola Leslie Keig, Cello Justin Hensley, Double Bass Michelle Olson, Percussion and Paula Darby Piano.
The program included a beautiful mix of traditional and contemporary arrangements such as Promise of Peace, Song of Mary, Cradle Medley, and Song of the Angels, along with beloved Christmas favorites including O Holy Night and We Three Kings of Orient Are.
Special thanks were extended to the San Jacinto County Maintenance Department, The Bank of San Jacinto, Coldspring Methodist Church, Rob Freyer (Master of Ceremonies), Greg Cones, and Paul Horton Methodist Church for refreshments, whose combined efforts made the evening possible.
For those in attendance, the concert was a powerful reminder of the spirit of Christmas, community, faith, and the joy of music shared together. For those who missed it, it was truly one of San Jacinto County’s most memorable holiday events of the season.
