Heisey Wind Ensemble presents: “A Hometown Christmas”

The Heisey Wind Ensemble continues their 41st Season with their traditional Christmas concert titled A Hometown Christmas on Saturday, December 13, 2025.  The concert will be held at the Lawrence E. Griffin Performing Arts Center at Newark High School.  The concert begins at 7:30 pm with pre-concert music starting at 6:45 pm by the HWE Trombone players.

Dr. Russel Mikkelson, Music Director and Principal Conductor, has programmed many holiday favorites, carols, and new selections HWE has not performed in the past.  Joining the Heisey Wind Ensemble will be vocalist Felita LaRock.  Ms. LaRock will sing three selections with the band: Merry Christmas, Darling by Richard Carpenter & F. Pooler, Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano, and Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song) by Amy Grant.  These three songs were arranged by Dr. Mikkelson for Ms. LaRock and HWE.  Additional selections on the concert include: A Christmas Festival by Leroy Anderson, A Most Wonderful Christmas by Robert Sheldon, Dreidel Dance by Robert Thurston, Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella by Gary Fry and arranged for band by Dr. Mikkelson, and of course Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson.

Vocalist Felita LaRock was born and raised in Newark, Ohio.  She currently resides with her family in Dayton, Ohio.  Felita retired after 20 years of dedicated military service as a lead vocalist with the United States Air Force Band of Flight at WPAFB and the United States Air Force Band of the Pacific-Japan, where she has entertained hundreds of thousands of our brave men and woman and their families all around the world.  Deployed three times during her career, she has performed in Korea, Guam, Turkey, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Afghanistan to include performances in India and Indonesia for orphanages and elementary school age children in impoverished communities.  Before her military career, Felita taught general music at St. Bernard’s Catholic School in Springfield, Ohio and holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.  She also attended Graduate School at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee and The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio for studies in Music Education

Felita has performed with many artists including The Miracles, The Coasters, Lee Greenwood, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra and the Heisey Wind Ensemble.  She has performed numerous times at the legendary “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” in downtown Cleveland, Ohio and she performs the National Anthem for many major sporting events.

The remaining concerts in the 2025-2026 HWE Season are Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 7:30 pm; and the HWE Big Band on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 7:30 pm.  These remaining concerts are at the Reese Center on the Newark Campus of OSU and COTC.

Tickets for HWE concerts are available only at the door.  Adults are $15, seniors (60+) are $10 and students are $5.  Additional information can be found at the band’s web site at www.heiseywindensemble.org