This is definitely my favorite time of year! From the music and the gatherings, to the food and the presents, the trees and lights and overall jovial generosity that beams from everyone around me! 2015 was extra special, but maybe I feel that way about every year... They just keep getting better!
Let me give you an illustrated and orchestrated review of the highlights from Thanksgiving thru Christmas!
Thanksgiving was a colorful time with Jackrabbit and the Superstars at school, where I direct and teach of their theater arts program.
This year's Holiday Extravaganza Concert in Palmyra, WI was something I was really looking forward to. Maestro Ed Pierce and I selected some of the classical repertoire standards and a couple pop tunes for our concert, which rounded out a brilliantly diverse program - on par with the brilliantly blinding beaded dress I found on ebay for a shocking $14!!! The band continues to grow in both size and accomplishments and I love how we work together! Thanks to my brother, Matt Miller and clarinetest/marketing/tech director of PECB Warren Metzger, I am able to share the live videos from the concert with you!
At the same time, I was beaming with pride as Jonathan premiered his new musical "How Love Feels" in NYC on (well... near) Broadway!!! Jonathan Fadner (composer) and Marella Martin Koch (writer) created an enchanted treasure of a musical - a love triangle between Helen, Stan and the Man in the Moon. It was picked up by the National Asian Artists Project (NAAP) here in NYC as part of their "Discover: New Musicals" series. They had a performance at 47th St Theater on Dec 7th, which is so amazing! Jonathan must be an asian man hiding inside a (handsome) howly body! His previous premier was this summer at the "Destination: Asia" Festival in Chicago where I performed his song cycle "Legends". :D
Wishing you all your hearts' desire in 2016 and The Year of the Monkey!!!
