The Creative Connections Arts Center in Amsterdam held a holiday open house on Saturday featuring performances by the Mohawk Valley Chamber Ensemble. There were arts and crafts for kids and an appearance by Santa Claus. Members of the Mohawk Valley Chamber Ensemble were on stage in three different groups featuring talented young musicians from area schools playing holiday music.
The brass mixed ensemble conducted by Richard China were the first to perform followed by the woodwind ensemble led by former AHS marching band director Stephanie Boice, and then finally the saxophone mixed ensemble led by Jennifer Mongin. Performing in the brass mixed ensemble were Jessica Gardinier and Megan Brodie on trumpets, Nate Cummings on trombone, Cheyenne Horton on french horn, Wyatt Maddet on the tuba, Ben Wells on the Euphonym, and Mike Hugo on guitar. The woodwind ensemble featured Gemma Liverio and Ciara Solby on clarinets, and Taylor Lawton and Kaelan Blowers on flutes. The mixed saxophone ensemble included Mongin on baritone saxophone, Boice on alto saxophone, Hugo on tenor saxophone, and Emily Penniger on alto saxophone. Mike O’Neill lent his talent on drums, and Avery Cook was featured on piano.
