EVANSTON — Directing the Evanston Civic Orchestra (ECOC) this season is James Cavazos, originally from Houston, Texas. Cavazos moved to Evanston in 2020 during the pandemic when he and his wife Victoria decided to leave Texas.

Cavazos graduated Cum Laude from Sam Houston Texas University with a degree in music education and a specialty in string instruments. He taught orchestral strings for eight years in Texas.

Cavazos has been playing cello with ECOC for several years and when the former orchestra director decided to leave Wyoming for the East, Cavazos stepped into the position. Victoria Cavazos has been the Evanston Civic Choir director for the past year.

“It is phenomenal that we now have both of them directing for us,” ECOC president Sara Maisey said.

This year’s free concert titled, “A Winter Festival,” will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15, at the Davis Middle School auditorium. A reception will be held after the concert in the commons area with refreshments.

Forty-five local musicians make up the orchestra and 35 are in the choir. Maisey said they have members from all over Uinta County and from Woodruff, Utah, and Coalville, Utah.

Music will include many well-known Christmas favorites including: “A Christmas Waltz,” “Winter Wonderland” and “O’ Holy Night.” The orchestra will give a performance of “Christmas at the Movies,” and the orchestra and choir will collaborate on a finale of the “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

Evanston’s percussion ensemble will also perform during the concert.

“This is a great family friendly event and helps to bring the Christmas spirit into our lives,” Maisey said. “We are excited to share this musical Christmas treat with our community.”