When the Twin Rose Community Band presents a Christmas concert on Sunday, Dec. 11, audiences can expect to be entertained with a variety of music, said Kim Blank, who plays the flute and piccolo with the group. The concert will be held at Reich's EC Church, 338 Stackstown Road, Marietta, beginning at 2 p.m.

"We'll do a mixture of different Christmas classics," Blank stated, adding that the concert will offer a mix of secular and religious music. "We're playing 'O Holy Night,' Leroy Anderson's 'Sleigh Ride' and 'Patapan.' We'll also do a sing-along medley."

The band is composed of between 25 and 35 people, who range in age from high school students to senior citizens. "We come from all different backgrounds, and we're always looking for musicians," Blank commented. "We are open to anybody who can play."

George Bradshaw has been conducting the band since 1995, and the group's roots date back much further. "This band has been around since the late 1800s," Blank remarked. "It started as the Long Level Cornet Band. Then it was the Long Level Band and the Columbia VFW Band." When the band outgrew the rehearsal space at the VFW, it moved rehearsals to Wrightsville, where the group still practices at Trinity Lutheran Church. The move also prompted the band to change its name to Twin Rose Community Band to reflect its presence in Lancaster and York counties.

During the winter months, the band performs concerts at local churches. It has also performed at area retirement communities. "We do a lot of outdoor concerts in the summer in parks or for community events," Blank shared, noting that the group plays annually for the Wrightsville Fourth of July festivities.

Although the Christmas concert is free, an offering will be collected to benefit the band. "We'll use the money to purchase new music," Blank said.

She encourages everyone to come to the concert, adding, "It's just a fun time to put yourself in the Christmas spirit and also to remember the true meaning of Christmas. Everybody's welcome."

For more information on the Twin Rose Community Band, visit https://twinrose.bravesites.com or search for the band on Facebook. For more information on the Christmas concert, call 717-426-1339.