RICHMOND, INDIANA — Richmond Community Orchestra will present its holiday concert from 3:30-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, in Carpenter Hall at Earlham College, 801 National Road West, Richmond, Indiana.

The concert is free to the public, although donations are welcome to support the orchestra’s Strings Initiative program offering free violin instruction to local children.

The music includes several holiday favorites such as “White Christmas,” “Sleigh Ride” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

The orchestra will also perform some modern arrangements of classics such as Mannheim Steamroller’s “Stille Nacht (Silent Night)” and “A Canadian Brass Christmas,” which includes “Ding Dong! Merrily on High,” “I Saw Three Ships,” “Here We Come A-Wassailing” and “The Huron Carol.”

The piece “A Most Wonderful Christmas” is a medley including “Winter Wonderland,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

Other pieces include “A Bach Christmas,” “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and the “Sleeping Beauty Waltz” by Tchaikovsky.

The orchestra hopes to encourage all ages to feel comfortable to attend a relaxed concert setting.

Those attending the concert will be able to make a donation to the orchestra in someone’s name through the Alternative Gift Fair program that day. The honoree will receive a card acknowledging the donation.

Membership in the orchestra is free, and is open to musicians of all ages. Current members range from high school students to those well past retirement. Some are retired music teachers and others played instruments in high school and/or college. Some members play in other ensembles, such as the Richmond Civic Theatre pit orchestra.

Members drive to Richmond for weekly rehearsals from Wayne and surrounding counties. Several musicians come from Preble County, including conductor Jay Conard of Eaton, who also volunteers his time.

Players interested in joining the orchestra are welcome to sit in during rehearsals, which are from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Mondays at the concert site. The orchestra could use a few strings (especially cello), bassoons and French horns.

For more information about joining, email RCO at [email protected].

To learn more about the orchestra, see the website at http://rcoindiana.org or find updates by searching for Richmond Community Orchestra on Facebook.