Annual Youth Trombone Choir Delights Pleasanton Neighborhoods with Christmas Music

This year's Pleasanton youth trombone choir, led by Pleasanton's own Jason Borris, elementary and middle school band teacher, featured a stunning playlist of mostly Christmas music on Wednesday.

Each year, the group of Borris's private lesson students rehearse together one evening per week during December. Borris directs the students through at least one new piece per year.

This year's featured piece was the "Halleluja Chorus" from Handel's Messiah. The five youth trombonists plus Borris performed the piece with rich dynamics and complexity during several performances in Pleasanton neighborhoods.

"The coolest thing just happened!" Pleasanton resident Dave Eshelman posted on his Facebook page minutes after the trombone choir came to his street.

"I heard a trombone choir outside my door playing The Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah. It was Jason Borris and five students he started teaching way back when, and they sounded great."

Borris said this year's trombone choir may be the best he's directed yet - and he's been directing the musicians for long enough that he admitted "many of the kids I've taken trombone caroling are out of college now."

Youth musicians performing in this year's trombone choir were Rachel Adkins, Elan Brysk, Justin May, Sam Olson and Sean Sullivan.

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