-[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]