December Delights
Saturday, December 9, 2023 7 PM
The Playhouse at White Lake, Downtown Whitehall
45 Years of WOW! Pre-concert Talk
6:15 PM with Conductor Mrs. Gail A. Brechting
(Lobby Music Provided by WINDS Brass)
Concert Program
“American Christmas” - Arr. Thomas Graf
WINDS Woodwind Chamber Choir
Flutes -Maryanne Beery, Susan Kiehl, Suzanne Lavin, Kathleen Johnston, Jenny VanDen Heuvel, Kelyn Celeskey, Rachel Martineau, Roxanne Deibel, Jillaena Weesies, Sein Chang
Oboe -Michele Wheeler,
Bassoons – Mandy Tomlinson, Jane Holt
Clarinets – Paula Whisman, James Brunner, Cathy Lintula, Laurie Lubbers, Carolyn Buboltz, Lynn Paul, Linda Browand, Jane Bednarz, Deb Sheckler, Carol Schwemin
Bass Clarinets – Mike Hill, Cameron Wiseman
Horn – James Sheckler
Percussion – Andrew Susalla
“Mary Did You Know?” - Arr. Eddy Lewis
Flugelhorn Trio
Gary Smith, Shar Bourdon, Sean Sweany
“Grown Up Christmas List”- Arr. Kenneth Abeling
“Christmas Medley for Saxophones”- Arr. Matthew Younglove
Saxophone Choir
Soprano Saxophone – Justin Auten
Alto Saxophone – Shaun Skibinski, Matt Ostoin, Steve Vitto
Tenor Saxophone – Amanda Serocke, Marty O’Toole, Rebecca Gierhart
Baritone Saxophone – Dave Lintula
“Yuletide Celebration”- Nathan Daughtry
Percussion Quintet
Chuck Hodson, Dan Cole, Frank Brechting, Michelle Wazny, Nolan Johnson
“Riu, Riu, Chiu” - Mateo Flecha, 15th Century Spanish. Arr. Christopher Warren
WINDS Euphonium & Tuba Choir
Euphonium – Teresa Dunn, Jim Hilton, Jennifer Carey, Monte Rogers, Dan Horton, Bob Tuttle
Tuba – Kim Reynolds, Rob Hardenberg, Bret Wazny, Richard Rothe, Jake Reed, Vince Browand
Percussion – Sandy Beck and Andrew Susalla
“A Christmas Jazz Suite” - Arr. Bill Holcombe
Flute Quartet
Roxanne Deibel, Jillaena Weesies, Jenny Vandenheuvel, Rachel Martineau
“Coventry Carol” - Arr. Richard Price
“Sing We Now of Christmas”- Arr. Richard Price
“Away in a Manger” - Arr. Richard Price
Burnished Brass Quintet
Trumpets – Sharlene Bourdon, Craig Bourdon
Horn – Susan Peeples
Trombone – Bill Price
Tuba – Kim Reynolds
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 15 minute Intermission ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Dawn Carol” - Margaret Lowe
Flute Choir
Maryanne Beery, Susan Kiehl, Suzanne Lavin, Kathleen Johnston, Jenny Vandenheuvel, Kelyn Celeskey, Rachel Martineau, Roxanne Deibel, Jillaena Weesies
“O Come, O Come Emmanuel” - Traditional Arr. Doris Gazda and Larry Clark
“Angels We Have Heard on High” - French Carol Arr. Doris Gazda and Larry Clark
Trombone Choir
Trombone - Dale Smith, Ron Gibbs, Keith Danielson, Bill Price, T Rose, Keegan Kalisek, Chuck Hornung
Bass Trombone - Klay Woodworth, Tom Weaver
“Greensleeves” - Arr. Bjorn Marin
Flutes and Harp
Flutes - Jillaena Weesies, Rachel Martineau, Jenny Vandenheuvel,
Harp - Sandy Beck
“Shepherd, Shake off Your Drowsy Sleep” - Trad. Carol
“Shepherd’s Farewell” - Hector Berlioz
“Ding Dong Merrily on High” - Trad. Carol
Horn Choir
Allen Beck, James Sheckler, Carrie Sorenson, Elizabeth Johnson, Amy VanderLaan, Amber Russell, Terrie Hampel, Judy Fuller, Ken Kloet
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” - Arr. Jason Sullivan
“Carol of the Bells” - Mykolaiv Leontovych. Arr. Fernando Britto
Bassoon Trio
Mandy Tomlinson, Jane Holt, Miriam Acosta
“Christmas Toons!” - Arr. Anthony Di Lorenzo
WINDS Brass Chamber Choir
Piccolo Trumpet – David Meyers
Trumpet & Flugelhorn – Gary Oberlin, Gary Smith, David Meyers, John Highhill, Craig Bourdon, Sean Sweany, Jim Baker, Sharlene Bourdon, Kim Emmons-Brayton, Matthew Gilbert, Jim Johnson, John Brunner, Thom Lemon
Horns - Allen Beck, James Sheckler, Carrie Sorenson, Elizabeth Johnson, Amy VanderLaan, Jennifer Reeths, Amber Russell, Terrie Hampel, Judy Fuller, Ken Kloet
Trombones – Dale Smith, Ron Gibbs, Keith Danielson, Bill Price, Keegan Kalisek, Chuck Hornung, T Rose
Bass Trombones – Klay Woodworth, Tom Weaver
Tubas - Kim Reynolds, Rob Hardenberg, Bret Wazny, Richard Rothe, Jake Reed, Vince Broward
Drum Set – Olivia Kieffer
Percussion – Sandy Beck
Meet the Conductor
Gail A. Brechting, Conductor & Musical Director
Gail A. Brechting, Conductor & Artistic Director
Gail is in her thirtieth year as the conductor of the award-winning West Michigan Concert WINDS. Under her direction, the WINDS received the John Phillip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Silver Scroll Award, America’s most prestigious community concert band award. She has organized five international tours with the WINDS, most recently to Scotland and Ireland. She has had the privilege of conducting the WINDS in Chicago’s Symphony Hall, as well as the historic Carnegie Hall in New York City. Before becoming conductor, Mrs. Brechting was principal trombone with the WINDS and performed with many area music ensembles including the Traverse City Symphony, the Lansing Concert Band, The Lake Effect Brass, and the West Shore Symphony. She has just returned from the 2025 European Tour as conductor of the Lifelong Arts International Community Band with Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
From 1996-1999 Mrs. Brechting represented MSBOA as the State Representative for the Michigan Youth Arts Festival. For over forty years, she has been an active district and state level adjudicator for low brass, band and orchestras as well as teaching private trombone and tuba lessons to students of all ages.
Mrs. Brechting is the 2019 & 2022 recipient of the Harry Begian Conductor Scholar Award, through Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. She has been the guest conductor with the Acadia Winds in Louisiana, Hot Springs Community Band in Arkansas, was the featured conductor with the Louisiana MS Honors Band. She has also had the honor to be a guest clinician and conductor with the Winter Park High School in Florida, the 2024 All-New England Band Festival, New Hampshire, and the 2024 Three Rivers Honor Band of Purdue University Ft. Wayne.
Mrs. Brechting is the Past President of the Association of Concert Bands, an international organization serving adult community bands, serving two previous terms on their board of directors. She is the Lifelong Arts Program Director with Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, serving since 2019. Gail conducted the Blue Lake International Community Band the Summer of 2025 on a four country European tour. She is an Associate member of the American Bandmasters Association, a member of the National Band Association, an Emeritus member of Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, P.E.O. and the Women Band Directors International. She was the first woman selected by the John Philip Sousa Foundation to serve on the Sudler Silver Scroll Award selection committee, and is presently the chairwoman. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Michigan University and a Master of Arts degree from Western Michigan University. Mrs. Brechting is a past music faculty member of Muskegon Community College. She retired in 2019, after a 40-year public school music education career, 34 of those with the Reeths-Puffer Schools in Muskegon, MI. In her spare time, she trains to compete as a US Masters swimmer, loves to play golf and travel.
Mrs. Brechting lives in Spring Lake with her engineer/pianist husband Frank. Their daughter Annelise, is a Physician Assistant in Greenville, SC.
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WINDs & SCO Upcoming Concerts
Fruitport Performing Arts Center
Rhapsody in Blue
Dr. Sidney Yin, Piano
"Fall into Jazz"
October 25, 2025 7PM
Fruitport Performing Arts Center
"A Christmas Collaboration Concert"
in partnership with Zeeland Community Band
Monday, December 1, 2025 7PM
Community Fellowship Church 104th Ave.
Zeeland, MI
"Open a Book for Musical Adventures!"
A Family Concert for Kids of All Ages
February 7, 2026 4PM
Frauenthal, Muskegon
"Who Knew?" Celebrating Our Artists Within
with Shoreline Community Orchestra
May 9, 2026 7PM
Frauenthal, Muskegon