Its been a challenging year for Lyle Fordes community choir, which has been rehearsing on Mondays through November to prepare for a performance of George Fredric Handels Messiah Sunday, Dec. 10.
We have missed a couple of rehearsals, said Forde, who started the biannual community performance soon after starting to teach at Arlington High School 30 years ago.
On the night of the flooding, we had 100 people show up and many couldnt go home, Forde said. Then this week, we got hit by the snow, and the power at the high school went out, just as I turned into Crown Ridge for the rehearsal, he chuckled.
But I have complete confidence in this group of nearly 150 singers. Forde said that he has a lot of people who have sung the Messiah many times through the years, including some of the school districts music teachers and staff.
Weve got Laurie Breon, from Kent Prairie, on the piano, Forde said.
Fordes community choir follows the AHS choral students in the program that includes several musical groups from school as well as the Overman Family Orchestra, who supply the instrumental backup for the concert. A girls chorus, Jazzmine and the AHS a cappella choir will sing some contemporary renditions of well-known Christmas songs in the AHS commons, at 18821 Crown Ridge Blvd. in Arlington at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10.
The Hallelujah Chorus is perhaps the worlds best known choral song in the world, Forde said. Admission is by donation to the new performing arts center which is scheduled to be completed by the end of the 2006-2007 school year.
Fordes ever popular Jazzmine will also perform at the Lights of Christmas Thursday, Dec. 14.

Jazzmine dates
6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. La Conner Lighted Boat Parade.
6:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Lights of Christmas.
7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 18 at the AHS Christmas Concert.
All day Tuesday, Dec. 19 at all ASD elementary schools.
Jan. 26 — Bellevue Jazz Festival
Saturday, Jan. 27 Arlngton-Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce Banquet at Hawthorn Inn.
Feb. 23, 24 Mar. 2,3,4 Jazzmine annual dinnershow.