(The Washington Choral Arts Society Artistic Director Scott Tucker leads the chorus. Photo Choral Arts Society).

My pal, Senior Executive Jerry, is a tenor in the Choral Arts Society. He alerts me to cool performances as that are scheduled, and they are a remarkable institution here in the District of Distraction. SEJ needs a creative outlet; he has budget responsibilities downtown, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

I have succumbed to his blandishments over the years and become a fan of the Society. I will attend any matinee the Society puts on. I don’t go to the District- even the Kennedy Center- after dark.

It is not the fear of violence; it is just that I fall asleep.

The matinee performance solved that problem, and I caught the holiday spirit at a splendid holiday performance of the Choral Arts Chorus and the Choral Arts Chorus, the Choral Arts Chamber Singers, and the Pan American Symphony Orchestra.

This year’s program featured music from Latin America, courtesy of embassy partner Argentina and the Pan American Symphony Orchestra. The Latin flavor started the show with excepts from Ariel Ramirez’s Navidad Nuestra (Our Nativity).

Artistic Director Scott Tucker shared the conducting duties with guest Sergio Alessandro Bušlje fro Buenos Aires. He wore a white dinner jacket to contrast with Scott’s formal black, and demonstrated an athletic Tango approach to communicating with the musicians. Associate Conductor Brandon Straub led a couple traditional carols, while guitar phenom Michael Bard knocked a variety of tunes- from Greensleeves to Jinglebell Rock- right out of the hall.

Diana LeGrand did things with her violin I have never heard. She was amazing.

I didn’t know what to expect, with the inclusion of traditional instruments as the bandoneón, the heart of Argentina, and the charango, a small harp-like instrument. It was magnificent. Given the ubiquitous nature of the guitar in Argentine music, the lineup included Classic Acoustic, Electric, Pedal Steel, Jazz Electric, and Spanish Acoustic strings.

There was whimsy, too, with the inclusion of a Finnish song that has rocketed up my personal Christmas top 100: El Hambo. Sample it in this version, and tell me that the Finns don’t have a robust sense of humor, at least about Swedes:

The program finished up with audience participation versions of the great carols. I left the concert hall literally floating. The Capital Christmas matinee is going to be part of my holiday ritual from here out. It was amazing. Drinks afterward, at Uncle Julio’s and Willow, and it was a grand afternoon.

Anyway, this marvelous Christmas morning I have a fresh picture of my grandson, a new Fleet ballcap from the JG in Japan, and the confidence that he kept his shipmates safe in the small hours of the watch.

Me? I fell asleep in my brown chair while attempting to watch a DVD. It was fine. I was finally in the spirit of the season.

Merry Christmas!

Copyright 2014 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: @jayare303