The Rob Mathes Holiday Concert
December 15, 16, 17, 2023
Hello Holiday Family and Friends,
Welcome to the 30th Anniversary Rob Mathes Holiday Concert. To be truthful, in the year 2000 I went on a holiday tour with The Boston Pops, and in 2020 the world shut down and I did the concert virtually. Therefore, this will actually be the 29th set of concerts given. Nevertheless, in December 1993, I gave my first Christmas Concert at Second Congregational Church in Greenwich, Connecticut. It was filmed and aired on PBS. That started this tradition. If my math is right, that is INDEED thirty years ago.
Notice that I say my first Christmas Concert. Most of these songs came out of Bethlehem and that story. In 1997, everything changed. Vanessa Williams, David Sanborn, Michael McDonald, and Ossie Davis joined us for the filming of a second PBS special. Because of retakes and fixes, the filming went on until the wee hours. I looked out at a sea of grey faces and started to apologize for the run-over. Suddenly, a man in the back stood up and said, “We want more. Keep going. Bravo!!!” Who was that???
That was Rabbi Mark Golub, who singlehandedly started a very surprising standing ovation, saving me a good deal of embarrassment. I planned to do a special arrangement of a great Hanukkah song for him the next year but couldn’t really find one! So many of the great Christmas songs, White Christmas included, were written by Jewish writers. WHERE were the great Hanukkah songs? That next year the Rabbi took me through the Maccabee story and I decided to write one for him. He became the Patron Saint, if you will, of our now HOLIDAY concert and I wrote many a song for him.
He sadly passed away in January, so I decided to perform these concerts in his memory. Mark Golub’s mind was deep and open. Human rights were paramount to him, and he would be quite a voice of love and reason during this impossible time. He always expressed such an abiding love and warmth to everyone around him. It was infectious. He certainly brought that love to us every year. An accomplished man, he started the Jewish Broadcasting Service and was the Rabbi of Chavurah Aytz Chayim in Stamford. He was also the host of L’Chayim, a program he created on that network, for more than 40 years. He was a Tony winner as a producer and did so many other things. The list is endless. This concert is for you Rabbi Mark, with love to the whole Golub family.
We also support a nonprofit each year, and this year, for the third year, it is Food Rescue US - Fairfield County. Please check them out in the lobby and consider supporting them too.
Happy Holidays one and all!
Rob
Band Members
Bass: Will Lee
Guitar: Billy Masters
Keyboards: Rick Knutsen
Percussion: Gunnar Olsen
Alto Sax: Aaron Heick
Tenor Sax: Andy Snitzer
Bass Trombone: Jeff Nelson
Trombone: Mike Davis
Trumpet 1: Jeff Kievit
Trumpet 2: Tony Kadleck
Vocalists
Vaneese Thomas
James “D-Train” Williams
Cindy Mizelle (Sunday)
Choir Director: Dianne Ellis
Choir of Saints & Friends
Sopranos: Emily Alogna, Jenny Alogna, Sharon Alogna, Devon Coords, Rosie Isiyel, Mary Marcell, Emma Mathes, Janna Mathes, Lily Mathes, Sarah Mathes, Kathryn Mena, Lauren Mian, Katie Stallard
Altos: Kelley Alogna, Dianne Ellis, Cheryl Engelhardt, Bonnie Kelley-Young, Charlotte Knutsen, Kati Mac, Valerie Maze-Keeney, Mickie Steier, Vreeland Tuncer, Karen Walker, Karen Yancey
Tenors: Austin Alianiello, Nick Arakas, David Callahan, Philip Dear, Aarush Dei, Dave Lefkin, Daniel Young
Basses: Darrell DeMakes, Mark Demmerle, Keith Dennis, Ayush Maini, Rich Mathes, Chaim Sciamma, Michael Yancey, Rory Young
Production:
Stage Manager: Ray Dobson
Sound & Lights: Chris Greco & Rory Young
Marketing and Production Coordination: Jenifer Howard
Video: Bob Conover
Food Rescue US - Fairfield County
This year's Rob Mathes Holiday Concert benefits Food Rescue US - Fairfield County, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating hunger and food waste. In Connecticut, it is estimated that 9.6% of residents experience food insecurity and current inflation rates have left many families struggling to make ends meet. Through their proprietary app, Food Rescue US – Fairfield County engages 3,600 volunteers and 315 food donors to deliver nutritious excess food to 255 local social service agencies serving the food insecure. Since launching in 2011, Food Rescue US has provided more than 33 million meals and prevented 44 million pounds of food waste, distributing an average of 370,000 meals per month.
Text to donate to Food Rescue US- Fairfiled County by texting: RESCUECT to 44321