Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry St. Joseph Catholic School kindergartners sing ‘Little Packages’ during the school’s Christmas Concert on Wednesday.

Christmas is Coming and Christmas Makes Me Sing…

… were two of the selections performed during the St. Joseph Catholic School Christmas Concert on Wednesday.

In addition to the singing by each class from pre-school through fifth grade, the school choir, and the whole student body, some of the songs featured students playing Orff instruments.

Orff?

Named after German composer Carl Orff, the instruments were developed to be used for teaching music to children.

“Bars may be added or removed depending on the age, skill level, and key that students are playing in,” Music Teacher Rachel Harvey said. “They allow us to add melodic or harmonic patterns to the music.”

The latest additions to the Orff instruments at the school are the contrabass bars. “Our Orff instrument collection now feels complete,” Harvey said.

Funding from a Dart Foundation grant allowed the school to purchase the new bars.