FAIRBORN — The Fairborn Civic Band, Regional Orchestra, and Community Choir will hold its 27th annual Christmas program at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8.

“Christmas Exhilaration” is the theme and under the direction of Gary C. Johnson, the Fairborn Civic Band will open the concert with Sean O’Loughlin’s festive fanfare, featuring soaring bell tones and crisp rhythms which will carry throughout the band’s concert repertoire. The joyous and intensely passionate Brian Beck arrangement of a 16th century carol, “Gaudete,” as well as Christmas classics to include Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” will also be included in the band’s performance.

Joining a little later in the concert and under the direction of Dr. Phillipa Burgess and Kathy Johnston will be the AC Strings, taking an entertaining and humorous turn with Michael Story’s “Christmas in the Kitchen” along with a selection sure to please the audience, another Leroy Anderson classic, “The Typewriter.” Fairborn Civic Band and AC Strings will then unite to form the Fairborn Regional Orchestra presenting full orchestral arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers,” and Trans Siberian Orchestra favorites, “Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24,” and “Wizards in Winter.”

Rounding out the concert in glorious tradition, the Fairborn Community Christmas Choir will join the full orchestra in Handel’s “Hallelujah.”

The concert will be held at Abiding Christ Lutheran Church, 326 Dayton Yellow Springs Road, as a free gift to the community. All are welcome.