Stan Kenton Christmas Brass Concert

Come celebrate the joy of Christmas with the exhilarating music of Stan Kenton Christmas Brass. Sunday, December 10, 10:30 am, West Heights United Methodist Church presents its 48th annual Christmas concert featuring soaring trumpets and roaring brass, sounding out traditional carols that bring forth the spirit of the season.

For more than four decades, West Heights has offered a unique Christmas musical experience. The ensemble’s lively performance creates an ocean of sound proclaiming Christmas Joy. In 1961 Stan Kenton recorded an album that brought to the carols a freshness that had not been heard before. It would take years before A Merry Christmas! would be universally accepted as a wondrous work to be savored and enjoyed by everyone of all ages. As audiences would discover, the music soars and sometimes moves along at different tempos while it did not alter the character of the carols, nor intrude upon their sacredness. A freewill offering will be received to help support the musicians.

Stan Kenton was born in the Delano area of Wichita in 1911 and became a pianist, composer, arranger, band leader and jazz educator.  We are delighted to be able to share the Stan Kenton Christmas Brass in 2023. This began at West Heights when Newt Graber, pianist, band leader and "gig king of Wichita," got a group of about 22 jazz musicians together to perform at the church.  It has been a tradition ever since.  After Newt's death in 1995, Henry "Hank" Elder directed the group. "Hank" was director until his death in late 2006 when Lisa Hittle, the director of the jazz program at Friends University for 30 years took over the tradition.  Lisa passed the baton to Anthony Panek who will be directing for the second year.

The morning’s celebration will start off at 8:30 with the Steve Taylor Memorial Pancake Breakfast in the Family Life Center. The breakfast will feature all your favorite foods, pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs and drinks. Additionally, West Heights hosts a mini craft and bake sale at the sanctuary entrance. Come early for an uplifting morning. All proceeds will help underwrite the Kenton Brass Concert. Please come to experience this special Christmas music and joy.

Click here to see the Facebook event page.