Montgomery County celebrated the season with two unforgettable musical events at the First Methodist Church in Conroe. The Conroe Symphony Orchestra’s "Christmas Around the World" concert and the Montgomery County Choral Society’s performance of "Gloria!" brought festive cheer and showcased the area’s rich musical talent.
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Conroe's festive spirit came alive in December as the Montgomery County Choral Society (MCCS) and the Conroe Symphony Orchestra (CSO) presented their extraordinary skills in separate events at the First Methodist Church. These performances brought Montgomery County's rich cultural vitality via music front and center.
The CSO thrilled listeners with its "Christmas Around the World" concert on December 14. Featuring carols from other countries like Ireland, Italy and Austria, the concert gave traditional holiday music fresh insights. The evening gained character and depth from vocalists Sonja Bruzaukas, Annie Voorhees, Steven Bogard, and tubist Roberto Gaitan. Highlights were Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" and "Silent Night," presented in several languages, including a magnificent harp solo by Hannah Rother.
Under Jim Kritikos, the new Artistic Director, the Montgomery County Choral Society presented "The Sacred Music of Sir John Rutter: Gloria!" on December 6. Working with The Woodlands Jazz Knights, the choir produced a harmonic mix of instrumentation and vocals. The evening's focal point, Rutter's "Gloria," highlighted the ensemble's ability and Kritikos' leadership.
Both presentations displayed the value of excellent musical artistry in the community and received great applause for the exceptional display of talents.
Looking ahead, the MCCS presents "Ties That Bind" on February 28; the CSO will do "Great Expectations" on February 8. Attend their events or donate via their websites, conroesymphony.org and Mcchoral.org, to help these groups.

A Montgomery County sheriff's deputy was killed Sunday on I-45, a corridor that runs through the heart of Conroe and the county.
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A deputy from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office was killed early Sunday after being struck by a commercial truck while directing traffic at the scene of a suspected drunken driving crash on Interstate 45 near The Woodlands. Another deputy suffered minor injuries, and a driver involved in the initial crash was arrested on a DWI charge.

Nearly half of all high school disciplinary referrals in Conroe ISD during the 2024-25 school year were linked to violations of the district's new cell phone policy. District leaders say the data provides an early look at implementation but caution against drawing conclusions until they study campuses more closely.