When Stephanie Greaves sang Christmas Time is Here, that Yuletide classic of A Charlie Brown Christmas fame, she musically captured the mood the Naden Band so magically established last Monday.
“This speaks Christmas to me,” sighed MC Astrid Braunschmidt backstage at the Royal Theatre where the first of the Royal Canadian Navy band’s five Christmas concerts here, including two kids’ matinees, followed two others in Vancouver.
“This concert helps us all remember what this time of year is all about — giving,” said the CTV weather host, who has been attending the annual concerts with her family for years.
Indeed, the community responded enthusiastically to the Salvation Army’s annual toy drive that the Naden Band Christmas concerts — 35 to date — support. Theatre patrons brought about 5,000 toys, said communications director Kyla Ferns, adding they’re supported by scores of volunteers who collect, load and sort Santa’s haul.
After a dramatic vice-regal salute to welcome Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon and her party on opening night, the director of music, Commanding Officer Lt. (N) Matthew Clark enthusiastically led the band through a seasonal repertoire including Dashing Through the Snow and Ian McDougall’s Feliz Navy Dad: A Victoria Christmas Overture, with an emphasis on Canadiana.
Royal and McPherson Theatres Society executive director Lloyd Fitzsimonds marvelled at the organizers’ military precision.
“I think they do their stuff by Navy time — starting on the dot,” he said. “The rock shows are done, er, somewhat more casually.”
In keeping with holiday tradition, tenor Ken Lavigne and Greaves, who travels extensively with the band, provided vocal highlights. They included Lavigne’s beautiful rendition of O Holy Night and memorable duets, including What Child Is This?, their breathtaking revival of The Prayer, and PO2 Annie McCrady’s upbeat, amusingly playful arrangement of White Christmas.
“That’s one of my favourites because we get to clown around a bit,” said Lavigne.
His wife, Alice, later surprised the crowd by clowning around herself when she guest-conducted Sleigh Ride, comically swaying and bopping to beat the band in an elegant red dress and matching heels.
“You are about to become a YouTube sensation!” joked Braunschmidt, after informing Lavigne her husband had videotaped her.
Clark said the most rewarding aspect of the Christmas concerts is audience reaction.
“People say ‘I brought my children here, and now their children are bringing their children,” he said. “You see this wonderful multi-generational effect.”
Rear-Admiral Bill True-love said he loves how the Christmas shows give the Naden Band a chance to show they’re professional musicians who play much more than marching music.
“While we may wear a uniform during the day and volunteer to serve our country, at night we go home and take that uniform off and we’re all part of a community we have an obligation to try and give back to,” he said.
Their creative contributions have not gone unnoticed.
“This is astronomical in terms of its significance to us,” said Lt.-Col. Larry Martin, Salvation Army’s Vancouver-based divisional commander.
“We’re ever so grateful.”
