For their 10th annual holiday fundraiser JazzEast will be bringing the 48-year-old Charlie Brown holiday classic to Halifax.
“This year we are trying out a completely different model—usually we do a gala with four course meal, concert and silent auction at a $125 ticket price.” Says JazzEast artistic director Laura "Lulu" Healy. “This year we're opening it up to families and taking the dinner out of the equation, with a much more accessible ticket price.”
This Sunday, December 8, original drummer (and only surviving member) of The Vince Guaraldi Trio, Jerry Granelli will perform the score of A Charlie Brown Christmas live at the Spatz Theatre. Accompanying Granelli is Simon Fisk on bass, Chris Gestrin as the piano-playing Schroeder of it all, and Halifax’s own Vivace Children’s Choir on vocals.
There will be a 2pm matinee featuring activities for families, and then a showing later that night at 8.
“There will be a few games for kids to play before entering the concert space, and we have a little surprise planned for kids when they come out of the show,” says Healy.
Both shows will feature a silent auction featuring donations from local businesses, artists and other JazzEast supporters. The evening showing will also have a cash bar and hors d’oeuvres available.
Proceeds will support JazzEast’s educational music programs such as Halifax JazzLabs, Creating Creative Listeners and the annual summer music camp, the Creative Music Workshop.
You can win a pass to the 2014 TD Halifax Jazz Festival by sending your favorite Charlie Brown Christmas memory under 250 words to [email protected], contest closes Friday, December 13. Stories will be shared at the concert.
Healy shared her favourite Charlie Brown memory with the Coast: “My Poppa absolutely loved jazz and also Charlie Brown. The Charlie Brown Christmas record was one of his favourites. He always sent us Charlie Brown-themed Christmas cards and used to play the music on his piano at Christmas. He would have been so excited to know that Jerry Granelli was going to play this music again. I can't listen to this music without thinking of how wonderful my Poppa was.”
Doors open at 1pm and 6:30pm, tickets are $40, children 12 and under get in free in the company of an adult.
