Vermont Public Specials
Holiday Concert with the Champlain Trio
Season 2025 Episode 11 | 40m 42sVideo has Closed Captions
Our annual Holiday Concert with the Champlain Trio live in studio.
The Champlain Trio brought their signature warmth and artistry to Vermont Public’s Stetson Studio One for our annual Holiday Concert. With beautiful arrangements of beloved holiday pieces, and a backdrop of wintry scenes, they brought the joy, nostalgia, and comfort of the season to our audiences. Recorded live Dec. 11, 2025. Hiromi Fukuda (piano), Letitia Quante (violin) and Emily Taubl (cello).
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Vermont Public Specials is a local public television program presented by Vermont Public
Vermont Public Specials
Holiday Concert with the Champlain Trio
Season 2025 Episode 11 | 40m 42sVideo has Closed Captions
The Champlain Trio brought their signature warmth and artistry to Vermont Public’s Stetson Studio One for our annual Holiday Concert. With beautiful arrangements of beloved holiday pieces, and a backdrop of wintry scenes, they brought the joy, nostalgia, and comfort of the season to our audiences. Recorded live Dec. 11, 2025. Hiromi Fukuda (piano), Letitia Quante (violin) and Emily Taubl (cello).
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship-[applause] -Leroy Anderson's -sleigh ride, -setting the mood for us -in that lovely arrangement -for piano trio performed -by the Champlain Trio.
-As they invite us to hop in -and take a lovely ride -through a nostalgia -filled world of Christmas -past with their own -present day flair.
-Good afternoon and welcome.
-Thanks for joining us today.
-I'm Helen Lyons -here in Vermont Public's -Stetson Studio one -with a live audience -of special friends -and supporters -of Vermont public.
-We're all set -to enjoy our annual holiday -concert with, as I said, -the Champlain Trio.
-We'll hear more about that -as we chat -with them in a moment.
-But first, -we'll carry on -with our music -as our little sleigh -ride continues -with some more Holiday Pops -themed music will enjoy -winter Wonderland.
-Have yourself a merry -Little Christmas!
-And for those bah -humbugs out there, -you're -a mean one, Mr.
Grinch.
-[music] -[music] -[music] -[applause] -A little wonderland -of holiday pops music -performed by our artists.
-This afternoon.
-The Champlain Trio.
-Letitia Quante, violin.
-Emily Taubl, cello.
-And Hiromi Fukuda, piano.
-And we are going to find out -a little bit -more about everything -right now -as we chat with our trio.
-Emily, so you make all these -videos and, and you're -finding arrangements -of holiday music.
-Do you change up the program -every year?
-We do, we keep -the classic favorites.
-But every year -we go on the hunt.
-I will credit Hiromi for -finding our arrangements.
-It takes -an incredible amount of time -and effort -to find good arrangements.
-And we find them -from arrangers -all over the globe, -and we we buy them, -and then we spend -usually starting around -September or so, -tweaking them.
-And it takes -we'll go up to the dress -rehearsal being like, -I think that should be this -or that.
-And, so it really they're, -they're amazingly -well done arrangements -that we've kind of -put our own twist on.
-And the videos.
Yes.
-I, I will not -claim to be a pro, -but they're a side project -when I'm -not playing my cello.
-And I mean, -you know, -I went -to your concert last year, -and the thing I was so, -like, struck by it, -it was just great to see, -you know, -literally kids from 1 -to 92 in that audience.
-And I think -this is a great way for kids -to be introduced to, like, -this traditional classical, -form of the piano trio.
-Yeah, -we see, sadly, less and less -kids at classical concerts.
-We, we go through -New England and, tour -a lot and we, you know, -there's usually 2 or 3 and, -we love to introduce -kids to classical music.
-We're so passionate -about sharing that.
-So, we, we make the tickets -a very affordable -price of families can come -and make it their tradition.
-And we, -we use the screen as a way -to get kids to feel comfy -and settle in -and also to tie -in, it's something, -something they're used -to seeing with something -they're not used to seeing.
-And, and also just showing -that a cello, a violin, -a piano can do -such a wide array of things.
-Absolutely.
Yeah.
-It's it's lovely, this -tradition you've started.
-And speaking of traditions, -Hiromi, -you come from Japan, -where Christmas is not -not celebrated.
-But you were mentioning -something earlier -about a wonderful Christmas -musical winter tradition.
-Can you tell us a little bit -more about that?
-Yes.
In Japan, -Christmas Day -itself is not a public -holiday.
-So, people still work -and such, -but instead, for families, -the biggest holiday, -in Japan is the New Year's.
-So from December 31st -and January 1st, -second and third few days -in a row is public holiday.
-Everything shuts down.
-And so here I think -the most common thing -you hear around holiday -time is Handel's Messiah -or Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker.
-And in Japan, this is -Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
-And it is, wonderful -because the big chorus, -of course, the, -ode to Joy, -that can include -a lot of amateur musicians.
-And so there are massive -singalongs in these concert -hall on the New Year's -Eve, everywhere.
-There's a bit -of an interesting history -why this became, -such a phenomenon in Japan.
-I think -after, you know, in -Beethoven's Ninth -Symphony in its entirety -was not performed -in Japan until, -I think, 1917 or 1918.
-And this was, during World -War one.
-And during World -War one, Japan was, -part of the allies and, -the country hosted -a group of German, -prisoner of war in Japan, -and they were very much, -integrated -into that community.
-They went out in town -and helped with, -you know, the technologies.
-And they brought a lot of, -knowledge -culture with them.
-So when the war ended, -that was November.
-And when they were -liberated, -they wanted to actually host -a musical event, -to thank people -who took care of them.
-And that was -when the Beethoven ninth -was premiered in Japan.
-And, of course, -and given the circumstances, -the chorus was only male -voice.
-And, instruments were, -you know, -just really made them.
-So I don't know how -they put together an entire -that's, you know, more -than one hour of symphony -that they did it.
-And I think, the local -people, they were struck -with, of course, -the music itself, but also -the message of joy, -the unity, brotherhood.
-That very powerful message -that, all of joy has -and it's stuck around.
-And I guess with that, -that's -such a lovely tradition.
-That's excellent.
-And that that sort of helps -us segue -into our next -segment of music -a little more -classical, influence.
-And we're -we're actually going -to start with a piece -from your new album, -Forgotten Voices.
-It's not strictly -a Christmas piece.
-It's titled Soir -or Evening by Melanie Boney, -but it does create that -feel, that calm -quiet of Christmas Eve.
-So we'll, we'll, -we'll move into this -next segment -with Melanie Bon Soir, -followed by Greensleeves, -and we finish -out with the dance -of the Sugar Plum Fairies.
-[music] -[music] -[music] -[applause] -The magic of Christmas time.
-With that -second set of pieces.
-Soir by Melanie Bonnie.
-Greensleeves and dance -of the sugar Plum Fairies.
-That's the Champlain -trio performing here -on our annual holiday -concert here on Vermont -Public Classical.
-I have to say, you three -make it very difficult -to host a radio program -when I keep tearing up -at the beauty -and the sensitivity -with which you play.
-Thank you so much.
-And so, -let's just talk about some -Christmas traditions.
-Leticia, we haven't -really heard from you yet.
-Your family comes -from Hungary and Belgium.
-What's Christmas like there?
-Oh, for -both of those cultures, it's -definitely a Christmas -Eve tradition -where normally -we get together -and have a big dinner -and stay up late, telling -stories and some gifts -and then go to a midnight -mass, of course.
-And, -I just always have -really great memories, -at least in Belgium -for sure.
-Of, my grandfather used -to do -sometimes actual candlelight -lighting on the tree, -which freaked out -all his daughters.
-All five of them were very -nervous about real candles.
-Yeah, real candles -that we were.
-Clifford, be very careful -with.
-And.
Yeah.
-So it's mostly a Christmas.
-Christmas things.
Yeah.
-And Emily, you're a new mom.
-Your little girl is about -two now.
-20, almost two as she is, -is Christmas Eve.
-You know -that excitement for her.
-She getting it now.
-She's starting to get it -for sure.
-Last year we were in -just survive the holidays -with an infant.
-And this year -we're actually like, -oh yeah, she's -she's going to remember -things.
Right.
-And so my husband -and I actually we, -we just talked this week -about -what do we want -our traditions to be.
-You know, both of us -have beautiful memories -and holiday traditions -with our families.
-And, you know, what does -that look like for her?
-And that's that's new for -us, you know, -is it listening -to a movement -of The Nutcracker -every morning?
-Is it -a cookie we've always make?
-Is it -something like this?
Right.
-And so -we're still in the process -of figuring out our new -new family -traditions.
Excellent.
-And the theme of -Christmas Eve -takes us into our final set.
-And, you very kindly have -asked me to participate.
-Oh, you're doing -so this is a dramatic -reading of Twas -the Night Before Christmas.
-I'll just share a little -of one of my holiday -traditions.
-So I think -I'd mentioned this to you.
-Which kind of spurred this.
-I turned 50 this year, -I don't mind telling you.
-And still to this day, -on Christmas Eve, -the Lyons family sits down.
-My dad and my sister -and I sit on the couch -and he reads us.
-Twas the night before -Christmas.
-So I'm sort of thrilled -to be asked to participate -in this, our final segment -of our holiday concert -here on -Vermont Public Classical.
-[music] -When out on the lawn there -arose such a clatter.
-I sprang from the bed.
-To see what was the matter.
-Away to the window -I flew like a flash.
-Tore open the shutters -and threw up the sash.
-The moon on the breast -of the new fallen snow.
-Gave the luster of midday -to objects below.
-When what to my wondering, -I should appear.
-But a miniature sleigh -and eight tiny reindeer -with a little old driver.
-So lively and quick, -I knew in a moment -it must be Saint Nick.
-More rapid than eagles.
-His coursers they came.
-And he whistled and shouted, -and called them by name.
-Now, Dasher, now, dancer!
-Now, Prancer, and Vixen on -comet, on Cupid, on Donner -and Blitzen!
-To the top of the porch!
-To the top of the -wall!
Now, dash away, -dash away!
-Dash away all.
-[music] -As dry leaves -that before the wild -hurricane fly.
-When they meet -with an obstacle.
-Mount to the sky.
-So up to the housetop.
-The coursers they flew.
-With a sleigh full of toys.
-And Saint Nicholas too.
-And then in a twinkling -I heard on the roof -the prancing and pawing -of each little hoof.
-As I drew in my head -and was turning around down -the chimney Saint -Nicholas came with a bound.
-He was dressed all in fur -from his head to his foot, -and his clothes were -all tarnished with ashes -and soot, a bundle of toys -he had slung on his back, -and he looked like a peddler -just opening his pack.
-[music] -His eyes.
-How they twinkled!
-His dimples.
How merry!
-His cheeks were like roses.
-His nose like a cherry.
-His droll little mouth -was drawn up like a bow.
-And the beard of his chin -was as white as the snow.
-The stump of a pipe -he held tight in his teeth.
-And the smoke it encircled -his head like a wreath.
-He had a broad face -and a little round belly -that shook when he laughed -like a bowl full of jelly.
-He was chubby and plump, -a right jolly old elf.
-And I laughed when I saw him -in spite of myself.
-A wink of his eye -and a twist of his head -soon gave me to -know I had nothing to dread.
-[music] -He spoke not a word, but -went straight to his work.
-And filled -all the stockings.
-Then turned with a jerk.
-And laying his finger -a side of his nose -and giving a nod up -the chimney he rose.
-He sprang to his sleigh, -to his team, -gave a whistle, and away -they all flew -like the down of a thistle.
-But I heard him exclaim.
-Ere he drove out of sight.
-Happy Christmas to all -and to all a good night.
-[music] -[applause] -Thank you very much.
-That was a whole lot of fun.
-My thanks -to the Champlain Trio -for bringing these wonderful -arrangements of holiday -pieces.
-You have been listening -to the Vermont Public 2025 -holiday concert live here -from Stetson Studio -one with the Champlain Trio.
-Thank you so much -to the Vermont -public supporters -who are here with us today.
-You are amazing -and we are truly grateful -for your support -of Vermont Public -and the arts in Vermont.
-And thanks, -huge thanks to everyone -here at Vermont Public -who made this live broadcast -possible.
-Last but not least, thanks -to all of you for listening.
-We wish you all a very happy -holiday season.
-And now we will send things -back to Walter Parker -in the classical studio.
-[applause] -[music]
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