Reviewer: Chloë Cerva
Venue: The Temple Theatre
The holiday season arrived in full swing on December 10, 2024, at Temple Theatre in Saginaw, where the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra presented “Holiday All the Way.” This festive concert conducted by the talented Maestro Fouad Fakhouri was an extraordinary way to ring in the holidays. The show featured the regional favorite Brush Street band with Mike Brush along and the always soulful and vivacious Julie Mulady.
The concert kicked off with the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra playing a symphony made up for of four movements based on Christmas carols, setting the stage for a truly magical night filled with warmth and joy that only Christmas music can evoke. The rich sound of the strings, brass, and percussion blended seamlessly with the venue’s acoustics, offering a lovely backdrop to the evening’s festivities.
Brush Street’s performance added a unique local flair to the concert, with Mike Brush leading the charge in both vocals and piano. The jazzy 70s soft rock feel complemented the classical arrangements of the orchestra. Julie Mulady’s rich, smooth voice gave life to the original songs such as “Can You Feel the Glow?” and “Seasonings.” The lush orchestral arrangements elevated Brush Street’s music, creating a fresh, orchestral take on their folk-inspired holiday tunes.
It was a touching moment in the middle of the show when Fakhouri announced that there are four talented musicians celebrating 50 years of playing in the Symphony, which the audience greatly applauded with admiration.
My favorite part of the show was the sing-a-long filled with Christmas songs slow and fast which echoed the themes of togetherness and community that are central to the holiday season. I also greatly enjoyed the vibrant Chanukah Suite and multifaceted Nutcracker Mini Jazz Suite.
I left the show feeling warm and awake with a new sense of Christmas spirit thanks to the lovely local talent presented to us. I feel very lucky, content, and ready for the holidays.
