St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s IN UNISON Chorus was greeted by a sold-out audience for their presentation of an IN UNISON Christmas Friday night at Stifel Theatre. The venue has played host for several SLSO programs since construction began at Powell Symphony Hall last March. Stifel was the perfect location for the performance that also featured SLSO and a special appearance by vocal group Take 6. More than 3,000 guests made their way up the grand marble staircase and into their velvet seats to help IN UNISON celebrate the season, and the choir’s 30th Anniversary.
This concert took three different approaches in its interpretation of holiday favorites. First, the orchestra performed traditional songs like “Joy to the World” and “Carol of the Bells.” A stylized version of “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” especially resonated with listeners. IN UNISON director Kevin McBeth conducted the piece – and led the brass section in a bold and groovy rendition that resembled the sound of the 70s. The upbeat nature of this version encapsulated the holiday spirit and filled the audience with joy.
The concert progressed into selections where the orchestra and IN UNISON performed in collaboration. The holiday standard “Silent Night” was one of the standouts from these segments of the show. After the opening verse, which was a melodic symphony of instruments and voices, the audience was asked to sing along. McBeth turned to the crowd and directed them through the second verse. IN UNISON also performed “Mary Had a Baby” in honor of late famed composer William Dawson as the concert took a moment to commemorate his 125th birthday. Their voices cascaded up the walls and funneled through the gold embossments.
Among the highlights of this portion of the show was a version of “Hallelujah” from the Grammy-winning 1992 album “Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration.” McBeth took a moment to pay tribute to the late Quincy Jones, who conducted the star-studded original recording that featured some of the biggest names in Black music – including IN UNISON’s guests Take 6. The soul-stirring upbeat tempo ushered the audience into the spirit, which continued for the performance of the Black church standard “Oh What a Wonderful Child,” led by soloist Charles Stancil. The audience clapped and rocked along as Stancil sang, “Glory, glory, glory, to the newborn king.” Soloist De-Rance Blaylock kept the spirit flowing with her performance of another Black church anthem – Walter Hawkins’ “Thank You.” “Thank you for your love, thank you for your power, thank you for your protection, every hour,” Blaylock sang. She moved herself as much as she did the audience during the selection. So much so, that the verse was given an encore.
The final, and most anticipated segment of the IN UNISON Christmas format – which repeated for two parts, were songs performed by Grammy-winning a cappella group Take 6. Friday night’s performance was the group’s fourth with IN UNISON. They began with “Do You Hear What I Hear” reimagined through the genres of swing and jazz. Having a large orchestra behind them intensified the excitement of this piece. They then showcased their signature doo-wop style by giving “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” the “Take 6 treatment” in the form of intricate harmonies. The claps turned to snaps as the audience kept rhythm to this jazzy eclectic tune. Take 6 also performed one of the most recognizable tunes from Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s classic 19th century ballet “The Nutcracker.” Here, the group “put the cool on.” Instead of orchestral accompaniment, they used their voices to mimic the sound of the instruments from “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” This left the audience in awe. “We have changed this song so much that we call it the ‘Sugar Plum Dance,’” they said ahead of selection. Take 6’s title proved fitting. The audience couldn’t help but sway as they snapped along. They were also invited to sing along by the group – including “O Come All Ye Faithful,” which they finished with beautiful layered harmonies that rang throughout the theatre.
Most of the songs IN UNISON and Take 6 performed last night have versions that are almost hushed and balmy – but their renditions made it clear that holiday music can be used as an opportunity to rejoice. Take 6 closed the show with a medley of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and “Carol of the Bells.” They capped the night with a final dose of holiday cheer by way of their fun and whimsical encore “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”
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