By Sarah Re Hepworth
Covey Center for the Arts’ Light Up Christmas! A Holiday Concert is like a warm, comforting Christmas hug for your ears. Marvin Payne, Dallyn Vail Bayles, Mindy Smoot Robbins, and Shayla Osborn Beck return to the Coveyfor a fifth consecutive year in conjunction with Provo’s Lights On ceremony. The Utah Valley Symphony joins the talented vocalists this year, making the concert a veritable treat for music lovers and Christmas enthusiasts of all kinds.
The concert is an exquisite arrangement of carols, classics, canticles, and Christmas favorites. Payne is known for his unique spins on classics and original songs, such as his unique 50’s style Do-wop twist on the iconic “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and his own “Thank You for the Baby.” His Bluegrass “The Holly and the Ivy” is another fantastic example of the fun, creative musical stylings you can expect from Payne, always delivered with a twinkle in his eye.
The Symphony, directed by Bryce Rytting, creates a stunning accompaniment to the vocalists. Watching Rytting, you feel his passion for the music in the way he lives inside each moving piece of the song. The Symphony plays several purely instrumental pieces as well, such as Christmas classics from “The Nutcracker” and “Good King Wenceslas.” Payne introduces the “Prelude to Hansel and Gretel” clueing the audience into the story being told by the music, from the wind outside the children’s window, to the witch chasing them down. I love moments like this that educate the audience on how to appreciate classical music, without the audience feeling lectured. Overall, the addition of the Symphony rounds out the performance, providing something for everyone that feels cohesive.
The concert closes with “Silent Night”, and the audience is invited to join in singing at the end. The music wraps you up in a warm hug, inviting the Christmas spirit and emphasizing “the reason for the season.” A delightful Provo tradition, I hope the group continues to bring this beautiful performance to the Covey for years to come.
Covey Center for the Artspresents Light Up Christmas! A Holiday Concert.
Covey Center for the Arts, 425 West Center Street, Provo, UT 84601
Dec 6-7, 2019 7:30PM, Dec 7, 2019 2:00PM
Tickets: $18 Premium Seating, $15 Standard Seating, All orders (in-person, by phone, or online) have a $1 per ticket facility fee.
Contact: 801-852-7007
Covey Center for the Arts Website
Covey Center for the Arts Facebook Page
Utah Valley Symphony Facebook Page
Light Up Christmas! A Holiday Concert Facebook Event
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