The Kalamazoo Concert Band goes all-out for its holiday concert each year at Miller Auditorium, which is free for the community and typically showcases a widely-known special artist. Director Dr. Tom Evans gives Cara Lieurance the details on this year's concert.
Evans announces an important change for this year's performance: the concert starts at 7 p.m. instead of the traditional 8 p.m. start time. The earlier hour makes the family-friendly event more accessible for young children, with the performance expected to conclude by 9 p.m.
The Kruger Brothers—virtuoso musicians known for their finger-picking prowess on banjo, guitar, and mandolin—bring an unexpected background to American bluegrass, according to Evans. Born and raised in Switzerland, the brothers discovered bluegrass through their parents' diverse record collection before relocating to Wilkesboro, North Carolina in 1978. Today, they're headliners at all of the most prominent bluegrass festivals in the US and Europe.
As always, the concert is a mix of elements, from Keith Thompsons's narration, showpieces for the band, solo spots for the Krüger Brothers, and sets where the artists join the band. Sting's "Fields of Gold" is a highlight, says Evans. Even when facing away from the audience while directing, Evans says he gets emotional during the audience sing-along medley when over 2000 voices join in.
The free concert requires no tickets, though Miller Auditorium offers reserved seating for crowd control purposes.
The interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.