Egg Harbor, Wis. (December 15, 2020) – The highlight of the holiday season at Birch Creek is the annual “Christmas at Birch Creek” concerts in Juniper Hall. This year, Birch Creek produced a Virtual Christmas Concert video with the same superstar faculty members from the Percussion and Symphony sessions who have performed live at Birch Creek each December. Audience favorites are featured prominently in the video with Dan Moore, Percussion & Steel Band Program Director, on the marimba from his home base in Iowa, and the Symphony Birch Creek Brass Quintet with their impeccable sound recorded at Roosevelt University in Chicago and complemented by their unique humor which makes audiences groan and laugh at the same time.
This one-hour video goes beyond the traditional Birch Creek Christmas concert with performances by Big Band Jazz faculty Reggie and Mardra Thomas from the warmth of their home in Illinois; Katie Ernst (Jazz I) on bass and vocals sings “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” accompanied by her husband, Chicago saxophone player Dustin Laurenzi; Jodie DeSalvo (Symphony, piano) plays brilliant and funny classical variations of “Jingle Bells” from Florida; Guest Artists Cynthia Stiehl, mezzo-soprano, and Colin Welford on piano perform traditional Christmas hymns “Silent Night,” “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear / The First Noel” from Ephraim.
Mona Christensen, Executive Director of Birch Creek Music Performance Center, brought these musical performing artists together, along with Frank McKearn on video production, for this special holiday video and is thrilled with the collaboration and generosity of time and talent.
“At a time when people need a beautiful, fun and humorous celebration of the season’s music, we are honored that our Birch Creek friends would spend time with us virtually,” says Mona Christensen.
Many thanks to the sponsors for this Virtual Christmas Concert video: Door County Medical Center; Anonymous Donor; Sam & Vicky Carmen; Steve & Mary Gomoll; Karl & Lyn Huber; Lynn Kaczmarek & Mack Bonk; Greg & Becky Britton; Jim & Barbara Flint; Jim & Patricia Blair.
This one-hour video is free and available on Birch Creek’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/birchcreekmusic.
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