By Nia Gallagher Snow is falling on a cold afternoon in early December. You step through the doors of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia and the warmth of the building envelopes you with welcoming joy. The first thing you notice is the breathtaking view of an immense glass ceiling. On ground level, Christmas decorations are everywhere you look and you are immediately put in the holiday mood.
Ticket in hand, you are excited to see the Philly Pops perform for their holiday concert. The air buzzes with excitement and you cannot wait for the performance to begin. You find your seat in the astounding auditorium and look around in amazement. There are rows upon rows of seats with numerous levels of balconies that reach up to the ceiling as high as mountains. The architecture of the ceiling looks like a giant string instrument waiting to be played. As the orchestra warms up, bows begin moving on stage, woodwinds are adjusted into position and the brass section props up their instruments. One of the most fantastic instruments is also a structural design within the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. During the show, the audience is informed of the organ that unknowingly stands before you. It looks as though it is part of the wall with a little opening, but really, there are pipes that reach as high as 32-feet up to the ceiling. On the contrary, the smallest pipe is approximately the size of a drinking straw. This organ is considered to be a work of art, a beautiful instrument, and a creative architectural concept. If you avert your gaze upwards, immediately above the stage there is a section where the Philadelphia School of Boys Choir and Chorale is situated in their bright red blazers. Even further above the young boys, there is an immense choir that practically mirrors half of the audience. The lights begin to dim, the first chair walks onto stage followed by the conductor. Chills of excitement rush through your body and the show begins. Suddenly, the instruments all harmonize and produce a full and brilliant sound. Later, you realize that all they have done is tune; however, everyone still applauds in amazement. The show consists of multiple different well-known Christmas songs such as “Joy to the World,” “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls.” There are some original songs, but they have a twist. For example, in 2017 the Philly Pops performed the song, “Little Bolero Boy” by Davis, Onorati and Simeone. It is a mix between the Christmas classic “Little Drummer Boy” and “Bolero” by Ravel. During the performances, the Philly Pops have a special guest each year. This year, Mandy Gonzalez appeared on stage in a long, red, sparkling gown and began singing “Feliz Navidad.” Gonzalez performs on broadway and acts on CBS’s television show “Madam Secretary.” She also has a supportive husband and a young daughter with. Another extremely important guest that participated in the show had every child engaged within seconds. In heavy black boots and a red suit, Santa came strolling on to the stage happily. Every child in the crowd’s face lit up with excitement as they strained to see their Christmastime idol standing before them. Once he was on stage, he performed a skit with the conductor and interacted with the audience as a short break in the music. Following that, he sang jollily and danced for the audience, creating a fun and spirited environment. The show finally ended with a sing-along to the most classic Christmas songs such as “Jingle Bells,” “Deck the Halls” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” The audience easy to attract and they began participating immediately. Everyone felt lucky to be able to share a tremendous musical experience with the Philly Pops.
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