GIBS Rocks at the Christmas Party!

On December 11, students in grades 1-8 participated in the GIBS Christmas Party, which took place in the school gym. The festivities began at 4:30 p.m. in the school lobby with the Year 4 sponsored bazaar. The performances featuring students in grades 1-8 took place at 5:00 p.m. in the gym.

The show began with students from 1A performing “We Wait for Christmas Eve,” a blend of the “Continent Song” and “Wackelkontact.”  Next was 1b’s hilarious and energetic Christmas play, “Operation Christmas,” which featured many songs.  Next, the Senior Choir sang the beloved “Imagine” by John Lennon.  Students and the audience joined forces to sing the traditional Austrian song “Es Wird Scho Glei Dumper’, which was followed by class 1c’s “Christmas Countdown,” an adaptation of Imagine Dragons’ “Believer.”  Then, the children and audience sang the “12 Days of Christmas.”  The final six songs featured a combination of Classes 3abc, the GIBS Orchestra (including GIBS staff members Mr. Singer on F horn and Mr. Szell on violin), Junior and Senior Choirs, and a very special guest: David McShane, a longtime baritone soloist with the Graz Opera!  This group sang four songs: “Somewhere in My Memory” by John Williams, featuring Ida Stöhr-Steinkellner (3C) and Mr. McShane; “Nutcracker Jingles,” a choir piece combining the most famous melodies from the Nutcracker Suite with the traditional “Jingle Bells”; a medley of songs from the iconic Ennio Morricone score Cinema Paradiso, featuring the orchestra, Lily Fink (7B), and Laetitia Taurer (5C) as soloists, along with Mr. McShane; and a Christmas adaptation of Dean Martin’s “That’s Amore,” featuring the orchestra, choirs, Mr. Hois, and Mr. McShane as soloists.  The GIBS staff choir joined the group for the traditional “Is Finsta Draußt,” and the program ended with a French-Spanish-English version of “Feliz Navidad.”  It was an unforgettable evening of song and a great start to the holiday season!