Anyone who needs a little Christmas can cozy up with Central Florida’s own Heather Thorn and her Vivacity band this very week for holiday cheer at the eighth annual Holly Jolly Christmas Show on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m., featuring renowned jazz musician Adrian Cunningham.
Vivacity and special guests will play, sing and tap dance to holiday classics at Trinity Prep School at 5700 Trinity Prep Lane in Winter Park. This week’s Christmas concert will again feature Cunningham, the award-winning vocalist and musician who possesses a fluent command of the saxophone, clarinet and flute. Based in Barcelona, Spain, and New York City, the Australian musician enjoys a reputation as one of the finest jazz multi-instrumentalists.
A Holly Jolly Christmas Show will include “O Holy Night” by regular Vivacity vocalist Krissy Vavrek. Vavrek, Thorn and former Rockette Joy Andersen plan a couple of Andrew Sisters Christmas tunes. Anderson will reprise her audience-pleasing tap dance as well.
Other planned yuletide songs include “Santa Baby,” “We Need a Little Christmas” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” plus many more.
As founder and director, Thorn’s mallet skills are a fan favorite at any Vivacity concert. Her love for the season makes this especially so for the Christmas concert.
As founder and director, Thorn’s mallet skills are a fan favorite at any Vivacity concert. Her love for the season makes this especially so for the Christmas concert.
Rounding out the band for A Holly Jolly Christmas Show are some of the finest jazz musicians in the world, including Paul Parker on drums, who has performed with Michael Andrew, Patrick Moraz and the Bill Allred Classic Jazz Band; Bassist Greg Zabel, who has traveled with the Glenn Miller Orchestra; Bob Thornton, a brilliant pianist from the Orlando Jazz Orchestra; and Trumpet player John DePaola, who has performed with Ray Charles and Sammy Davis Jr.
New this year is musician Harold Johnson, former leader of the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra at Walt Disney World. Now known as the Palm Beach Society Orchestra, Johnson performs frequently at Pilars Loft in Winter Garden.
Thorn, Vivacity and Cunningham have had a busy few months leading to the Christmas concert.
Vivacity as well as Professor Cunningham and His Old School band were featured performers at the annual Suncoast Jazz Festival in Clearwater in November.
Thorn and Vivacity also honored military personnel with “A Patriotic Salute” for Veterans Day. Thorn and a trio of Vivacity band musicians were featured at a November performance at the Center for Mallet Percussion Research in Kurtztown, Pa.
In October, Thorn also joined the University of North Florida percussion team for a special concert. Cunningham recently released another new album called “It’s About Time.”
For Christmas concert tickets, go to EventBrite.com or linktr.ee/VivacityMusic. Click on “A Holly Jolly Christmas Show Featuring Vivacity 2024!” Tickets start at $28. There are in-person and VIP options. A $20 streaming option is at EventBrite.com. Search for the same show, then scroll down to find the Livestream link.
To learn more about Vivacity Music and the band’s albums—including their Christmas recording—search social media for @vivacitymusic or visit vivacitymusic.com.
