SLIDESHOW: Premier Public Performance of the McAuliffe Charter Band

Although the Christa McAuliffe Regional Public Charter School has been around for more than a decade, this is the first year in a long time that the Framingham-based school has had a band program.

The after school program, taught by an instructor from the Performing Arts Center of MetroWest in Framingham, is offered to students for a fee.

Last Thursday, the band had its first public performance at Barnes & Noble in Shoppers World, in conjunction with the school's winter book fair fundraiser.

The students, playing the violin, trumpet, guitar, drums, piano and saxophone, performed Ode to Joy, Jingle Bells and Silver Bells. There are about a dozen students in the band.