Director Kevin McBeth greeted guests of An IN UNISON Christmas with a familiar sentiment. It is one that has been echoed since September, when The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra returned to Powell Hall after two years of renovations and upgrades.
“There truly is no place like home,” McBeth said.
His words were met with rousing applause. It was almost as rousing as the choir’s rendition of “Home,” from the musical theatre masterpiece “The Wiz,” that immediately followed McBeth’s brief opening remarks.
The song set the tone for the homecoming experience of the first IN UNISON performance within the upgraded Powell Hall, now a part of the all-new Jack C. Taylor Music Center.
“This program includes a long legacy of incredible artists to help us celebrate this season,” McBeth said. “We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate being back at home than with the first ladies of gospel music. Tonight is a great honor for the dynasty, the legacy and the witness of these wonderful souls.”
Those wonderful souls are The Clark Sisters. Their influence on the genre of gospel stretches more than five decades. Under the tutelage of their mother, the late Mattie Moss Clark, and the pioneering artistry and musicianship of sister Twinkie Clark, they redefined contemporary Christian music.
Their fan base stretches from baby boomers to Gen Z, which was clear from the expansion of “An IN UNISON Christmas” from one evening to a two-night engagement to accommodate an audience for The Clark Sisters. Both Thursday, December 18 and Friday, December 19 were nearly sold out.
“I want you to turn to your neighbor and say, ‘Let’s have church tonight,’” Dorinda Clark-Cole told the crowd as she and sisters Jacky Clark Chisholm and COGIC First Lady Karen Clark Sheard stood front and center.
Before The Clark Sisters brought church with their impeccable harmonies, respective vocal prowess as solo artists –and a praise break or two – the celebration began with IN UNISON and The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra demonstrating their versatility through holiday music.
A Negro spiritual arrangement of “This Little Light of Mine” by the choir and the orchestra’s Latin jazz take on “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” were among the highlights.
“Is it hot in here or is it just this orchestra,” McBeth said after “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” “I feel like there isn’t anything that they cannot play.”
He proved himself right when The Clark Sisters took the stage with “Livin.”
The horns and strings gave their signature tune a new sound.
“Performing with this orchestra is something else,” Clark-Cole said.
It’s safe to assume that the feeling was mutual for SLSO.
Performing more than 50 years brings its own synchronicity, but there is also the type of vocal synergy that only siblings can create.
The harmony of their voices and the strings provided a new appreciation for their musical agility as chord progressions and key changes perfectly complemented the instruments.
This was especially true with “Little Drummer Boy.”
The first half of the show concluded with their staple “Blessed and Highly Favored,” which included a praise break from Clark-Cole.
“Because of Him, I am still here,” she said.
IN UNISON continued the worship service before The Clark Sisters reemerged for their second segment
“Each year we try to have some of your favorite carols for you to sing along and pat your feet,” McBeth said. “You also get to have an altar call. I told them, ‘We might take up a collection after this one.’”
The Clark Sisters returned to the stage with their version of “Do You Hear What I Hear” from their Christmas album “Family Christmas.”
In a wonderfully playful moment, the sisters also shared a bit of their history with a back story about an unlikely popular Christmas tune that helped them shape their harmonies when they were children.
“Twinkie said, ‘Let’s try to sing ‘The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late),’” Clark-Cole said. “Believe it or not, this is how we really started harmonizing on our own.”
They playfully reverted back to pre-teen girls having fun with the song made famous by cartoon characters Alvin and The Chipmunks.
“Karen is Alvin, because she was always into something,” Chisholm and Clark-Cole said.
The concert concluded with their breakthrough hit, penned by Twinkie Clark- who was absent because of health issues.
With “You Brought The Sunshine,” The Clark Sisters turned the audience into their own choir.
“You came, you came my way,” the audience fervently sang along.
The sing along, which also grew to include IN UNISON, doubled the length of the selection – and sent the audience home filled with as much church as the holiday spirit.
“It’s a joy and an honor singing to you tonight,” Sheard said. “We hope that something we said through the songs will help you have a blessed holiday.”
Living It content is produced with funding by the ARPA for the Arts grants program in partnership with the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and the Community Development Administration.
