Javier Zazueta
It was a merry night with Santa Claus and Pierce College Philharmonic Choir on Saturday in the Annual Family Holiday Concert at the Art Hill.
The holiday concert started with the classical rendition of “Oratorio de Noel,” which was originally composed by Camille Saint-Saens in 1858.
After a brief break, the concert continued with more traditional music, and classics such as “Ave Maria,” “Light the Candles of Freedom” and the “Virgin’s Slumber Song.”
The choir was surprisingly superb, easily comparable to those that are being played on the radio today.
The audience seemed seduced and captivated by the magic of the classics. The eyes and ears were nowhere but where the music took them-especially those of the children, who eagerly awaited the arrival of Saint Nick.
After “Joy to the World,” Santa went to his seat to give wrapped presents to the children in the audience.
While the adults were being entertain by children classics which included soloist Holly Kling singing an heartfelt bluesy version of “I Have a Little Dreydel.”
During “Frosty the Snowman,” the performers spread out over the building to continue with such classic, “White Christmas” and “Jingle Bells.”
During “Silent Night,” a traditional Christmas moment happened when a little girl anxiously opened her presents alongside her mother. Her two brothers quickly came running to see what she had gotten, smiles were on all the three siblings. Then right away the two brothers open their own presents, one of them got a Spiderman toy.
The concert ended with the audience participating on George Frideric Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.”
Audience member Bill Casey, who won a prize from an intermission raffle, said, “It was all good. The second half I enjoyed more.”
The Herrera family was also pleased. “We loved the show,” commented Felicita Herrera.
Family member Iliana Herrera, a part of the Chorale, won a raffle prize during the intermission and had the little one get a present from Santa.
Artistic Director, Terry Danne was also pleased.
“It worked out the way it was supposed to,” he said. “Everybody is very happy about it.”
Review Rating: B
Santa Claus joins the Master Chroale in the second act for Christmas carols with the audience. ()