Youth hard at work on special online concert to spread Christmas cheer
Tim Brody - Editor
Participants in the Sioux Lookout Multi Cultural Youth Music Program are hard at work getting ready to present their annual Christmas Concert online at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18.
Performers will include Marius Madsen, Clayton Sulkers, Serena Saudino, Ronan Raspado, along with bands Bloodline, True North, FMJ and Hot Mess.
Program Coordinator Tommy Kuzemczak shared, “The youth have been working really hard for this year’s Christmas Concert presentation. This year, due to COVID, it will be online again.”
The Sioux Lookout Multi Cultural Youth Music Program is a program of the Nishnawbe-Gamik Friendship Centre.
“After meeting with the Executive Director of the Nishnawbe-Gamik Friendship Centre, Jennifer Thomas, it was decided that this year’s Annual Sioux Lookout Multi Cultural Youth Christmas Concert would be an online event due to COVID,” Kuzemczak said, adding the decision was made to ensure the ongoing safety of program participants, staff and the community.
The concert can be seen on the Nishnawbe-Gamik Friend Centre’s YouTube page as well as the Sioux Lookout Multi Cultural Youth Music Programs Facebook page.
“The youth look forward to the Christmas performance and have picked up their musical abilities for the performance. We started rehearsals at the end of October and have been working at it with a few unscheduled extra rehearsals,” Kuzemczak shared.
Hot Mess vocalist McKenna Murphy said the band will be performing eight Christmas songs during the concert. She said, “It’s very exciting to be able to perform for people in Sioux Lookout!”
Hot Mess drummer Eric Goretzki shared, “It’s exciting just to be able to play for people. Now that it’s online, shows don’t come around as often, so any chance we get to play a show, it’s an exciting time. Christmas time is always exciting because people gather around with their families ready for the festivities, we’re just glad to get people in the Christmas Spirit.
The Annual Sioux Lookout Multi Cultural Youth Music Program Christmas Concert has been taking place since 2016. This year’s concert is expected to run approximately 90 minutes.
