'A Touch of Christmas' draws new faces

Audiences from around Flathead Lake came to enjoy the Bigfork Playhouse Children’s Theatre benefit concert, “A Touch of Christmas,” last Saturday, where it was staged in a more traditional and festive setting.

The concert was performed by Brach Thomson and Friends at Bethany Lutheran Church, due to the million dollar expansion and remodel of the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts, where the concert is usually held.

The concert has earned a reputation for introducing a musical holiday flavor to the annual schedule of events in Bigfork, highlighted by Thomson’s creative composition of classic and original Christmas sounds.

Infusing traditional Christmas carols with what he referred to as “a Mannheim Steamroller twist,” Thomson wove together a compilation of jazz, funk, fusion, blues and classic rock, utilizing as many as five keyboards for a single song, backed by pre-recorded computer accompaniment.

You may be wondering how it is possible to manage so many keyboards at once. If so, you’re not alone. Even Thomson admits he doesn’t really have an answer. But he does have a cheat sheet to remind him what sound he needs to play next.

However, the truth is, as Thomson concedes, there is a bit more to it than that. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for his wife to find him practicing in the dark.

“I tell her, ‘I don’t need to see my fingers to be able to play,’” he said. “That kind of practice enables me to play multiple keyboards at the same time, because I have a mental picture of were each hand is supposed to be and I don’t have to always be looking for where they need to go.”

Thomson has played many different kinds of music over the years and even made a name for himself in some of the entertainment hotspots of the West, prior to coming to the Bigfork Playhouse. In fact, he drew heavily from that experience when he decided to start doing Christmas concerts as a fundraiser for the children’s theatre.

He compares the “Touch of Christmas” concerts to the summer concerts he played in Reno, Nevada. He always wanted to do similar concerts in Bigfork but found that the holidays were the only time of year he had in which to make them happen.

Coming up with new arrangements and performing them, he says, is just a lot of fun. And all of the proceeds go to fund children’s theatre during the fall and winter.

Along with more traditional songs like “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Good King Wenceslas,” “Deck the Halls” and “Feliz Navidad,” Thomson enjoys finding ways to jazz up some of the classics to entertain his audience.

This year, he managed to meld “O’ Come All Ye Faithful” with "Oye Como Va," which soared to #13 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1970 and helped to launch Santana into stardom. The song was written and first composed by Latin jazz musician Tito Puentes, in 1963 and was later popularized by Santana, prior to becoming the inspiration for Thomson’s latest musical experiment, “Oye Como All Ye Faithful.”

During the song, Thomson prompted different sections of the audience to chant, “Oye Como Va,” followed by “Ye Faithful” and “Feliz Navidad.” The experiment, as peculiar as it sounded when Thomson first pitched the idea, seemed to be a success, judging by the smiles and occasional laughter of the many people who were clearly enjoying the experience.

“I really kind of got a kick out of ‘Oye Como All Ye Faithful,’ Thomson said. “I thought it was kind of fun to do, and I think everyone liked it. It still makes me snicker a little bit.”

As for the two children’s choirs, Bigfork Playhouse Children’s Theatre Choir and the much younger New Kids On The Block, Thomson said he enjoys the challenge of coordinating all of the children and their vocal talents.

This was the third year for the younger choir to perform. Thomson said he is excited to see what they can become as they, like their older counterparts, gain more and more experience. The newest choir consists of Olivia Witt, Tabitha May, Travis Gee, Mack Paine, Sarah Ward, Marika Bates, Laurel Sugden, Suzannah Evans, Valarie Kittle, Jack Evans and Jemison Naïve.

The “New Kids” performed “Carol of the Drum,” “Silent and Still” and “Elijah Rock,” along with a joint performance of “Children Go Tell It” and “Hot Chocolate” from the movie “Polar Express,” during which they were joined by the original BPCT Choir.

The song “Hot Chocolate” proved to be a hit with the audience, who were vocal in their approval and discussion of the performance throughout the subsequent intermission, which was highlight by the enjoyment of—what else—freshly made hot chocolate.

Following the intermission and a couple of warm-up songs by Thomson on the keyboard, the BPCT Choir performed “Caribe Noel,” “Still, Still, Still” and “A Festive Fa La La.” The BPCT Choir was comprised of familiar faces, including Jerry Gaiser, Jonathan May, Jacob Sefcak, Colton Christensen, Zoe Gaiser, Kristi Persinger, Rebecca Sewell, Rachel Christensen, Millie Voigtlander, Elizabeth Spraul and Natalie Christensen.

Members of the two choirs burst into song during a couple of Thompson’s solo performances—much to Thomson’s surprise—both eliciting laughter and inspiring further accompaniment from the audience.

“There’re good kids,” Thomson said. “They like being involved — however they can do it, whether from their seats or from the stage. They just enjoy the big picture.”

Thomson also invited special guests Curtis Williams and Bethany Lutheran Pastor Joe Strandjord, who wowed the audience with his impressive rendition of “The Christmas Son”—to perform solos during this year’s Touch of Christmas.

“I always try to have special guests,” Thomson said. “I think it adds color to the show and possibly brings in some different faces who might not have come otherwise. I think we saw some of that during this concert, and hopefully we’ll gain some new supporters.

“I definitely enjoyed playing with both of them (Williams and Strandjord). They’re both very low maintenance. They came in and rehearsed for about 20-30 minutes and decided they were good to go. I think it went very well, and it did exactly what it was supposed to do.”