Home for the Holidays
Home for the Holidays, a Virginia Blue Ridge Music Festival classical music concert with Maestro David Wiley and friends, received a warm and cheerful reception at the Floyd Event Center on Sunday.
Wiley on piano shared the stage with soprano Adelaide Muir and violinist Kevin Matheson. “The spirit of this is family and friends around the piano in their comfortable living spaces sharing music that they love,” Wiley said in his introduction.
The program included the famous Appalachian Carol, I Wonder as I Wander, The Ukrainian Bell Carol Fantasy in honor of the war-torn Ukrainian people, a rousing Russian Dance from the Nutcracker, an audience sing-along and more.
“The Floyd Memorial Tabernacle is about to ride again,” Wiley joked, encouraging attendees to raise their voices.
Wiley, VBRMF’s artistic director and Roanoke Symphony Orchestra’s director/conductor gave a historic background introduction to each song, which added to the experience. I was brought to tears with the opening performance, a version of Greensleeves, titled Fantasia Greensleeves. Wiley noted that the song was one of the oldest Christmas songs, dating back to 1580.
Several audience members later remarked, as they shared refreshments together, about songs that brought tears to their eyes.
Wiley thanked the venue hosts and noted that education and outreach is a vital part of VBRMF and encouraged attendees to watch for the festival’s larger performances and collaboration with professional musicians this June 18 and 19.
The elegant and powerful vocals, talent of the musicians and varied range of the program made for a wonderful and seasonal entertaining afternoon. Thank you VBRMF!
