2022 Christmas Show Highlights
"Home for the Holidays! "- Celebrating being together!
What a day, what a performance! Actually TWO performances! On December 10th we had two incredibly entertaining shows at the GPAC! We always add something special to every show we do!
This year we took inspiration from "across the pond" and added a little Irish flair to the show with "Christmas in Killarney" and a few Irish tunes with our guest fiddler, John Biggs! Then a carol-sing-along and a special appearance by Santa Claus himself!
Video: "Santa Baby"
Watch here as one of our lovely ladies, Meredith Calton, sings "Santa Baby" ....to Santa Claus himself!!!
Video: "Big Band Vocal Medley"
A great triad of traditional big band songs brought to life by Karen Pahl!
Video: "Bandstand Boogie"
A lively big band number to start off the second half of the show!
Video: Silent Night
A special arrangement of Silent Night by Michael Howard.
Video: "Someone to Watch Over Me"
Gershwin's most famous Broadway ballad sung by Karen Pahl.
The Music Program: Set 1...
Big Band Holiday
Featuring: I’ll Be Home For Christmas, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Frosty the Snowman
Arr. By Carl Strommen
Big Band Vocal Medley
Featuring: I’ve Heard That Song Before, I’ll Be Seeing You, I’m Beginning to See the Light
Arr. Walt Stuart
Why Don’t You Do Right?
Words & Music by “Kansas” Joe McCoy
Recorded by Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman (1942)
Arr. Bob Friedlander
Christmas Time Is Here
Music & Lyrics by Vince Guaraldi & Lee Mendelson
Arr. David Pugh
Christmas In Killarney
Words & Music by John Redmond, James Cavanaugh & Frank Weldon
Arr. Johnny Warrington
Celtic Fiddle Medley
Traditional Songs: Monymusk, Christmas Day I’da (In the) Morning, Bottom o’ the Punch Bowl
Arr. M.C. Howard
O, Ce Veste Minunata (Oh, What Wonderful News!)
Traditional Romanian Carol By Dimitrie G. Kiriac
Arr. M.C. Howard
A Night Like This
Words & Music by David Scheurs, Vincent Degiorgio and Jan VanWieringen
Arr. M.C. Howard
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Words & Music by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane
Arr. Dave Wolpe
On the Sunny Side of the Street
Words & Music by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh
Arr. Sammy Nestico
The Music Program: Set 2
Bandstand Boogie
Music & Lyrics by Charlie Albertine, Larry Elgart, and Bruce Sussman
Arr. John Higgins
Little Drummer Boy
Words & Music by Katherine Davis, Henry Onorati, and Harry Simeone
Arr. Rob Holmes
Silent Night
Traditional (Public Domain) Originally by Franz Gruber (1818)
Arr. for Big Band by M.C. Howard (ASCAP)
The Man With the Bag
Words & Music by Harold Stanley, Irving Taylor and Dudley Brooks
Arr. Rick Stitzel
Santa Baby
Words & Music by Joan Javits and Phil & Tony Springer
Popularized by Ertha Kitt - Arr. Unknown
Sing-A-Long
Featuring: Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, O Come, All Ye Faithful
A Salvation Army Production – Arr. Erik Leidzen, Dorothy Gates,
and Stephen Bulla
The Christmas Song
Music & Lyrics by Mel Torme and Robert Wells
Arr. Paul Jennings
Santa, Bring My Baby Back to Me
Words & Music by Claude Demetrius and Aaron Schroeder
Popularized by Elvis Presley - Arr. M.C. Howard
Someone To Watch Over Me
Music & Lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin
Arr. Dave Wolpe
A Big Band Christmas
Featuring: Here Comes Santa Claus, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Auld Lang Syne
Arr. Carl Strommen
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
English Traditional (Public Domain – ca. 1835)
Popularized by Arthur Warrell (1935)
Arr. for Big Band by Bryan Kidd
Guest Soloist and Fiddler: John Biggs
Our featured performer on December 10th 2022 is a native North Carolinian who moved to many places as a child due to his father’s military career. He began playing violin in 6th grade at E. Cary Jr. High School, then added trombone in high school at Wilmington where he and his father (a tuba player) performed together in the community band.
As an adult, John became a successful architect, but was missing playing music. So, a few years ago he picked up his violin again, practiced hard, and has become a virtuoso fiddle player. As such, he performs on a regular basis with two Raleigh area “Traditional Irish/Scottish Music Sessions”. He also has played guitar and fiddle with area churches.
John is happy to live in Clayton with his two children and his wife (a Romanian native). He also lived in Romania, which has a rich history of violin players and folk music. That is part of the reason he was inspired to master many folk music styles on the fiddle.
North Carolina is the home of a large amount of Irish & Scottish music due to those nationalities settling here at the founding of America. We were pleased to have John join our “Merry Band of Returning Players” for this show.