Virtuoso Art’s “Terry and Friends Christmas Radio Show”
Originally published on social media on December 22nd, 2024
I’ve never been to anything like this before — Virtuoso Arts’ Terry & Friends put on an excellent Christmas “radio” show! Everything from the witty humor to the breathtaking musicals performances was unique and incredible. With an expansive program full of variety, it is hard to describe every moment, so I will share my favorites below:
Terry Shaw led his friends in a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and it was so happy and bubbly that it changed my entire impression of that song. I felt myself dancing!
Darrell led his church choir in a Gospel piece that I believe was called “Emmanuel” that gave me GOOSEBUMPS. They were having so much fun singing and dancing right there, and I believe they truly embodied what the Bible calls us to do in Psalm 149:3. It was a truly spiritual experience!
One fun moment allowed the audience to participate in the Twelve Days of Christmas with the audience together singing the “partridge in a pear tree” and “five golden rings.” From there, Terry & Friends chose volunteers to do the other parts…and I just so happened to be “twelve drummers drumming.” It was a blast!
The night was full of fun and emotional moments, but the one that felt most magical was when Terry & Friends sang “O Holy Night” in the background while retired teacher, Nancy (known for her great speaking voice), read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” aloud. I wouldn’t regularly pair these two together, but I love how this pairing shined a light on the magic of Christmas Eve and how Christ can be in the center of that magic.
There are incredible artists in this area, and I’m so grateful for the work they continue to do not only to enrich our lives, but to bless the community. Virtuoso Arts collects donations to help send students to music camps and to help local families in need. That is a cause to make music for! I hope we can all sing the song of charity going into the new year and find ways we can all make this world a better place