Tradition Continues ... Oakdale Holiday Concert !

Oakdale Elementary School Holds Annual Holiday Event ...
 
  Superintendent of Schools June Doe, Town Administrator William Keegan, and a host of other notables from around Dedham were seated in the Auditorium of the Oakdale Elementary School early Thursday morning. The room was at near capacity, filled with the parents, siblings and relatives of the school`s 300 plus children in grades 1-5. Once again, it was time for the Annual Holiday Concert.
    Since the beginning of school in September, Music Teacher Bryan Bigelow has had less than 90 days to put this much heralded event together. The show opened as Principal Holli Armstrong welcomed everyone, and introduced the 5th grade band, followed by the Oakdale String Orchestra. All band instruction comes from Ms. Gabriella Sanna and her staff from the Dedham School of Music. Many of the students in Elementary School are playing an instrument for the first time!
    After the musical performances, the stage turned in to a sea of Santa hats, beautiful Holiday dresses, and handsome young men, as the students sang to the audience for more than an hour. Each grade had a turn at it, accompanied by Mr. Bigelow on piano, with Principal Armstrong at the side of the stage singing the words to each and every song.
    Having covered this show for almost a decade now, it never ceases to amaze, how much love, laughter, and pride can be crammed in to one room. As the applause began to fade, Bryan Bigelow waved to the crowd and breathed a sigh of relief – another successful Holiday Concert behind him, with the Annual Spring Show now on the drawing board!
    Story and Photos by: Joe Kilroy