Music will fill the halls and auditorium at Austin High School Monday as band, choir and orchestra students come together for one giant Christmas concert.

The Austin High School Music Department will present its annual Holiday Concert in Knowlton Auditorium featuring three bands, three choirs and three orchestras at 7 p.m. Monday. They will perform seasonal music, both familiar and new.

“It’s a very well attended event, partly because of the music that we do kind of puts people in the spirit, and also the fact that we have all of our ensembles so we’re talking hundreds of students,” Choir director Brian Johnson said. “There’s a lot of people that are connected to those students that want to see them, so it’s a pretty full auditorium.”

Johnson said the concerts have been going since before he came to AHS around 1987, but it wasn’t always one joint show.

“The history of it is we had two snow storms in consecutive weeks, and both of our concerts were snowed out so we had to combine to make it work for rescheduling,” he said, explaining the story he heard as to why the concerts have come together as one.

After that first combined concert, organizers realized it might be easier for both students and audience members to combine the concerts since the holiday season can get very busy, according to Johnson.

Johnson recommended audience members arrive early for good seating, as well as other performances before the show. The concert will be preceded by various small ensembles such as the Choralaires, jazz bands and string ensembles, who will perform in the halls and auditorium.

“The kids are pretty well prepared at this time and are just excited to perform it for an audience,” Johnson said.

The grand finale will include the traditional massed choir and orchestra, who will present Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” and Franz Gruber’s “Silent Night.” Johnson said for the choir students the “Hallelujah Chorus” is a big thrill, especially since this year there will be about 300 students singing together.

“Even though we do a lot of different music every year, having that one tradition is kind of special,” he said of the song which serves as a finale each year during the concert. “As they grow older, they really come to appreciate that whole performance. The older students especially have come to enjoy it.”

He hoped the audience would enjoy the concert and take the time to really listen to the music. Tickets are available at the door for $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors, and activity and music passes will be accepted.

Austin High School Holiday Concert

What: AHS choir, orchestra and bands to perform annual Christmas concert.

When: 7 p.m., Monday

Where: Knowlton Auditorium

Tickets: $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.

Continuing the spirit

AHS will keep the holiday spirit going through next week with its inaugural “Christmas At Home” concerts at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18 and 19 along with a 2 p.m. show on the 19th at the Historic Paramount Theatre.

Tickets for “Christmas At Home” are $5 for students, $15 for adults in advance and $20 for adults at the door. Tickets are on sale at the Austin ArtWorks Center, 300 N. Main St., or austinareaarts.org.