Events

We will learn about, listen to, and enjoy the music that makes Christmas an enjoyable, beautiful season. The first session will be an exploration of the secular celebration of Christmas. We will kick off with Barry Manilow reminding us that “Christmas is Just Around the Corner” and end with The Cincinnati Pops’ rendition of “Deck the Halls.” In between we will hear vocalists and musical groups who have made memorable recordings to celebrate the season. The second session will focus on the sacred celebration of Christmas. We will listen to recordings by famous choral groups and enjoy hearing traditional carols, music from long ago, and a very inspiring rendition of “Mary, Did You Know?” by opera soprano Kathleen Battle accompanied by classical guitarist Christopher Parkening. We look forward to seeing you join us for a class that will make your Christmas season merry and bright. About the Instructor: Jim Smith Jim Smith was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Lansdale. He graduated from North Penn High School and earned a degree in music education from Mansfield University. Jim taught elementary vocal music at Hiram Dodd Elementary School in the Allentown School District from 1973 until his retirement in 2007. He serves as the organist at Sanctuary UMC in North Wales and occasionally plays the organ in the Dock Woods chapel. Jim and his wife Sue lived in Quakertown for 32 years. They moved to Dock Woods in 2014.