Tippecanoe Valley students during band practice.

AKRON — A decades-old holiday tradition at Tippecanoe Valley High School will once again bring the sounds of the Christmas season to life.

The public is invited to attend a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, in the high school commons area. Band members from sixth through twelfth grades, 110 students in all, will perform songs they’ve been working on since October.

“People can expect to hear our full bands playing Christmas songs both sacred and secular. We also have a few small student ensembles lined up,” said band director Janell Riner.

All of Riner’s classes have been meeting for an average of 45 minutes a day every day to prepare for the concert. For several weeks now, middle and high school students have been breaking down the songs, sometimes working on them measure by measure and note by note.

“There are a lot of hours that go into it. Maybe the piece only lasts three minutes, but there are hundreds of rehearsal hours that went into those three minutes,” said Riner.

One of the featured songs will be a lengthy medley called “Rudolph in Wonderland.” Riner describes it as a fun, percussion-driven piece where students have to make some technical maneuvers and sound effects.

The concert has been very well attended in previous years. Anyone interested in going should plan to arrive early for premium seating.