Excited voices and the rich sounds of brass and woodwinds rang through the cafeteria of the Wareham Elementary School on Thursday, Feb. 8. 

That evening, the fourth graders of the Wareham Elementary School Band and Chorus held their winter concert, delighting an audience full of their parents and classmates. 

The band played a selection of instrumental tunes to start the concert off, bringing out the sleigh bells for a rendition of "Jingle Bells."

The chorus sang their way through a program of wintery songs, such as "North Pole Rock and Roll" and "Winter Hand Jive." The students complemented their musical performance with lively choreography and hand motions. 

Russ Hart, the school's band and chorus director, said the kids worked really hard learning their parts and memorizing their lines in the months since the program started in October.

"For many of them, this is their first opportunity on the stage, their first opportunity in a public performance venue," Hart said. 

The students had lots of days throughout the rehearsal process where they weren't sure what it was all for, Hart said. "They get here, and all of a sudden they perk up, because of it — they finally see the reward at the end."