Westwood’s bands performed their annual Winter Concert at the RRISD Performing Arts Center on Monday, Dec 8.

Performances included traditional Christmas pieces, like Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride,” and part of the Nutcracker‘s soundtrack, but also featured some less seasonally appropriate pieces—such as an excerpt from The Lord Of The Rings movie soundtrack.

“I love Christmas, and the annual band holiday concert gives all of the band students a chance to just let their hair down a little, and play some good ole’ tunes,” Geoff Sloan ’15 said.

Through the Winter Concert, band students could show off what they’ve learned outside of the marching season. Some pieces serve as preparation for competitions later in the year, while other pieces help students to improve their musical talents.

“The winter concert is always a great experience for the band,” Gabby Grifno ’16 said. “My favorite part was the ensemble’s last piece, ‘Sleigh Ride,’ because we all got to put on Santa hats.”

While the Winter Concert is the last performance in the first semester, the bands will perform several more times during the second semester.