By S.L. Hansen
for the Register
On Wednesday, Oct. 23, kindergarten through sixth-grade students at St. Wenceslaus School in Wahoo will perform a fall vocal concert.
Titled “Fall Celebration,” the concert will include a wide variety of music accompanied by Scripture reading.
Emily Nakayama, who joined the St. Wenceslaus faculty in August as vocal music instructor, said, “While we celebrate the changing of the seasons, we also celebrate our never-changing God.”
The eclectic program includes a movement piece created by second-graders for Vivaldi’s “Autumn.” Sixth-graders will be performing two traditional choral compositions, “Peaceful” and “Yonder Come Day.”
To celebrate the fast-approaching All Saints Day, there will be a performance of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Students will also celebrate God’s goodness with the traditional songs “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” and “I’ve Got the Joy.”
Some children will also provide the music for their songs by performing on xylophones. The two classical pieces will be sung to recorded tracts, and one piece will be performed a capella.
“The rest will be accompanied by the wonderful Krista Braun on piano,” Nakayama said.
In choosing pieces for the concert, Nakayama said, “I first look for songs that children will be motivated to perform and songs that I can teach through. I consider the difficulty level and if it’s appropriate for the students.”
This year’s autumnal concert will be a first for St. Wenceslaus School, which educates 296 students in grades pre-kindergarten through sixth. Like most schools, the students previously prepared for a December concert, but Nakayama’s planned maternity leave at the end of the 2024 fall semester led to a change in the schedule, and thus the theme.
Principal Mike Weiss notified parents last July of the change so that they could “save the date” on their calendars.
“Although we traditionally have a Christmas program,” his email to parents read, “this year provides an excellent opportunity to further educate students and parents on how to celebrate Halloween and our Catholic faith.”
For several years, Weiss has been focused on helping school families “reclaim our Catholic Holy Days.” Out of concern for the way Catholic values and beliefs are disparaged in secular media, St. Wenceslaus school administrators, parent advisors and the faculty have discussed various strategies to support families in raising their children to understand the beauty and value of Catholic Christianity.
For example, parents are encouraged to help their children find or make Halloween costumes that depict holy saints and other wholesome characters, while making sure the children know the true stories of these heroes. Children who partake in the parish “Trunk or Treat” event will find saint bookmarks slipped into their bags or buckets.
The fall concert will be a meaningful and exciting lead-up to Halloween, All Souls Day and All Saints Day. The school will also support families throughout the rest of the academic year with meaningful ways to observe Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter.
Weiss said the vocal music program at St. Wenceslaus School is a valuable part of the students’ education.
“Participating in music at a young age is so important,” he stated. “Students who learn to sing early in their lives can gain a lifetime of benefits which can help them personally, socially and educationally.”
He noted that the discipline gained by learning to sing can produce the confidence to strive in other subjects. Students also learn to work in groups. Plus, the opportunity to perform in front of family, friends and community members can lead to more confidence in classroom presentations or public speaking.
Nakayama echoed his sentiment that music education is vital for many reasons.
“If students don’t sing early in life, they probably won’t sing later,” she reasoned. “The arts are a beautiful way to build community. The arts are used to worship God!”
It’s too early to say whether or not this year’s fall vocal concert will be the beginning of an annual tradition or if the Christmas concert will return for the 2025-26 school year.
“As long as the children are progressing in their music education and love for music, I think I can make either one work,” Nakayama said. “Our students are so enthusiastic to perform!”
