Reviewer: Mark DeWolf-Ott
Venue: The Temple Theatre
Saginaw Choral Society at the Temple Theatre with Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy
It was sort of a homecoming. Sixteen years ago, Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy Canadian singers, song writers, and musicians performed with the Saginaw Choral Society for a Christmas concert. Their daughter Clare had just been born that year. Now four additional children later they were back home with the Choral Society performing another concert.
This time the MacMaster Leahy Family brought five of their seven children to offer their blend traditional Christmas favorites with Scottish music, dancing, and storytelling.
The concert, which is the Choral Societies big fund raiser, opened some traditional carols. The Saginaw Choral Society consists of local singers with exceptional talent led by Jeremiah J. Kraniak, Artistic Director, with the remarkable Catherine McMichael as its pianist.
Next up was the Saginaw Youth Choir performed Christmas songs with Emerald Joiner-Christensen Director and Ryan Davidson as pianist.
MacMaster and Leahy perform, with their band, high-energy material featuring new arrangements of Christmas classics mixed with Celtic traditions. Celtic music is from Brittany, Wales, Ireland, and the Scottish Highlands. Not only music, but there was also Cape Breton Step Dancing, a mix of clogging and Riverdance.
Highlights of the show were a song written by Donnell Leahy called “Carmelo”, a combination of Cuban and world music. Natalie MacMaster performed “Hector the Hero” a tune that Ken Burns recently used in the soundtrack for his PBS film “The American Revolution”. Daughter Julia sang “The Gift” made famous by Mateo Bocelli. The oldest daughter, Mary Frances, who plays piano and fiddle, sang a beautifully complicated version of Gloria in Excelsis Deo with the Saginaw Choral Society. (She has released a CD of her own.) The entire ensemble, both Saginaw choirs and the MacMaster and Leahy family, and the band performed a lively “What Child is This”. The talent of this family is amazing.
The show ended with a huge encore with everyone standing, singing, and dancing, and even the audience sang “We Wish you a Merry Christmas”.
The evening was a great way to enjoy the holiday season and celebrate local and international talent.