This afternoon and tonight, I have the happy task of playing piano for the Racine Theater Guild’s Spotlight Series Christmas concert, “A Very Merry (Guild) Christmas.” The program, organized and directed by Robert Kroes, gathers together a talented group of RTG stalwarts to sing a delightful array of Christmas songs. And all I have to do – what I get to do – is play piano for it. And after three consecutive weekends of Christmas Craziness (in the very best sense of the word) this is just what the doctor ordered. (And the fact that Kathy is one of the singers juts makes it that much better!)
Actually, I am just now realizing that one of the best things about this December is the rich array of experiences I have been able to enjoy as a musician. It began the first weekend in December with the Carthage Christmas Festival, a monumental concert organized by my colleague Dr. Peter Dennee to showcase our incredible music ensembles in a powerful retelling of the Christmas story. In the midst of all the splendor and grandeur, the Lincoln Chamber Singers (which I direct) offers up a very welcome moment of musical intimacy, some true chamber music, which this year included my newest composition, “Born to bring peace,” which they sang exquisitely. And lucky, lucky me gets to be at the piano, surrounded by these sixteen talented singers, awash in the sound of their beautiful singing.
The heart of the second weekend was Holy Communion’s remarkable Christmas program “Look for the Light,” conceived and directed by Kate Potter-Barrow to take us back to Bethlehem with children of all ages in full costume against a glittering backdrop that includes live farm animals right up front in our beautiful sanctuary. And in some ways, I have the very best seat in the house – at the piano, playing for these children and young people- plus the talented men and women of the Senior Choir- as we “Look for the Light” together.
This past weekend, the third weekend of the month, was a bit crazy – even for me – but I would not trade it for anything. It began with a somewhat unconventional gig for me …. playing piano with the Kenosha Symphony for their annual Christmas concert. I don’t mean I was in the solo spotlight, playing a concerto (the very thought is ridiculous) but rather as part of the ensemble. When they first asked me, I figured that I would just be playing a diddle here and there as a bit of added color. As it turns out, I had to do some heavy-duty playing … especially in five colorful arrangements by Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller fame … that proved to be incredibly challenging and fun. (Adding to the challenge is the fact that there was one and only one rehearsal for this concert. Fortunately, the KSO is a great group- and conductor Robert Hasty has an exceptional gift for working quickly and efficiently to make everything work.) And it is no exaggeration when I say that the chance to play Chip Davis’s exquisite arrangement of “Still Nacht” – 200 years after the carol was first sung – may end up being the most touching experience of the whole year for me. Maestro Hasty introduced it to the audience by saying that this particular piece for him and the members of the orchestra will always be linked with the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School – because it was right after that awful tragedy that the KSO played this particular piece for the very first time. It was a powerful demonstration then – and now – of how music can bring us comfort and healing even in our darkest moments.
By the way, the Kenosha Unified Madrigal Singers were the special guests on the KSO concert- and when those young people took the stage at the rehearsal, it was so fun to see no less than four of my private voice students among them – along with my sister-in-law Polly, one of their fearless leaders. And seeing them in their full regalia at the performance was like a joyous Christmas bonus.
That concert was Saturday afternoon. That evening was the annual Christmas concert of the Kenosha Pops Band, which is always one of my favorite nights of the whole year. Director Craig Gall always puts together a wonderful program that manages to balance entertaining fun with rich musical substance. And because the group is so musically strong (with many music teachers and band directors in its ranks) they are able to play a splendid performance after just one rehearsal. (Talk about yet another Christmas miracle!) I am always the emcee and soloist for this concert, which this year gave me the chance to sing “White Christmas” and “Auld lang syne” – plus I got to dust off my organ chops by playing along with the band on Leroy Anderson’s Christmas Festival. And for a bit of added fun, Caritas was asked to sing on the concert as well. What a joy! And part of what makes this concert such a joy for me is that I have been emceeing Kenosha Pops concerts for more than a quarter of a century; they are almost like family to me by now. And when one bandies about the phrase ‘Christmas means family,’ this is one important way in which this is true for me.
The weekend ended with the 14th annual Sing Along Messiah at First United Methodist Church – part of their Fine Arts at First series – and here again is a demonstration of ‘Christmas is Family.’ Jessica DeBoer is the amazing force of nature who puts this event together – and one of the most important of her duties is to assemble an orchestra who are skilled enough to play Messiah on the strength of only one rehearsal – yet nice enough to be patient with me as the conductor. (I’m a good musician, and I know Messiah like the back of my hand, but I have no proper training as an orchestral conductor.) Fortunately, she always manages to gather together just the right array of musicians …. and many of them play this Messiah year after year after year. Believe me- nothing is more reassuring for me than to step up on to that conductor’s podium and see so many familiar, friendly faces looking back at me- ready to join me in essaying one of history’s greatest masterpieces. (It’s a special pleasure and relief to have my Carthage colleague, Dr. Dimitri Shapovalov, at the keyboard.)
Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a Messiah without singing- and one of the special thrills of the Sing Along Messiah is working with wonderful soloists, most of whom have been present or former voice students of mine. This year, in addition to alto Libbi Weisinger (a member of First United Methodist and our alto soloist for all 14 Sing Along Messiah performances), we had soprano MeriKatherine Bock, tenor Nick Huff, baritone Mike Anderle, and bass-baritone Austin Merschdorf lending their talents to the proceedings. Mike wins the award for coming the farthest (all the way from Missouri, where he is a teacher) … MeriKate for coming the least distance (from Racine, where she works for her dad) … Nick for performing with the least amount of rehearsal (zero- because another obligation he had that day prevented him from being there for the one and only orchestral rehearsal) …. and Austin the Courage Under Fire Award for singing despite totaling his car a couple of days earlier. I couldn’t have been prouder for their exemplary work- with special kudos to Mike for singing the full version of “The Trumpet Shall Sound” – a taxing and impressive tour de force.
Also on hand was my group Musici Amici – who are comprised of a rotating lineup of former members of the Carthage Lincoln Chamber Singers – to sing the evening’s prelude and perform the chorus “Since by man came death.” I was so grateful for the presence of Becky Whitefoot, Jen (Cobb) Bentley, Alissa (Baylen) Turner, Jason Aaron, Andrew Johnson, and Justin Maurer. And when a nasty case of the flu knocked out Beth and Matt Story, MeriKate was kind enough to step in on soprano and one of my current voice students, Jordan Keller, filled in on bass. Together they sounded absolutely beautiful – despite the fact that all of eight of them were never together in the same room until one hour before the performance. (It’s called Living Dangerously.)
And of course, a Sing Along Messiah means that at least the vast majority of people in the audience are also the chorus- and this year we had perhaps the largest audience we have ever had. And this time around, I found myself especially aware of the people who were there and how many heartwarming stories they represented. It especially made me smile to look out and see one of my voice students, Noah Olsen, standing shoulder to shoulder with his grandfather. And on the other side of Noah was a good friend of his from church who was there with both his dad and his little brother. And as I looked out over the audience, I could see people who have been singing this music for a half century or more – and high school students like Grant Entwright who were singing it for the very first time. What could be more heart-warming than that?
So what is the through line in all of these performances in which I was privileged to be a part? I suppose one of them was the exciting challenge of putting complex musical performances together with very little rehearsal … which means that everyone has to be at the very top of their game. Another is that in all of these performances, there was somebody else bearing ultimate responsibility and attending to so many of the ancillary details, which left me with the central pleasure of mostly just making music. Even more important is how all of these performances were a matter of making music with people I admire and enjoy – and in many cases with people I love. And in this era when so many people are sequestered in cubicles or transfixed by screens or in other ways cut off from others, I am more thankful than I can say that I am a musician …. and that so much of what I do as a musician connects me in rich, satisfying collaboration with others. And of all of the gifts I will receive this Christmas, I’m not sure there is a gift that can compare with that.
And then there is the matter of the Story told and retold, and of how music can bring that story so thrillingly, so movingly to life. And when one thinks of it that way, even the most spectacularly skilled musician is but a Little Drummer Boy (or Girl) offering up a humble musical gift to the One lying in a manger.
