Sleigh Bells rang – and outside the snow was glistening in a Winter Wonderland – as ARCA’s Wurlitzer Santa and the audience’s beloved Dave Wickerham, brought inspiration and holiday cheer in his JOY OF CHRISTMAS concert last Sunday in Lincoln Hall.
ARCA’s intrepid audience was especially appreciative as they had braved the freezing temperatures and icy roads to experience Dave’s improvisatory delights – as well as the heart, spirit and faith of this extraordinary artist and human being who has touched so many in our region with his humble and generous genius.
Just back from ‘making the rounds’ two months touring in Australia and performing a series of Christmas concerts for 2000 on the extraordinary Sanfilippo theater organ near Chicago – Dave Wickerham’s brilliant arrangements were more delicious and soaring than ever – like his ragtime version of “Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas.”
But dry, frigid weather has its costs on theatre organs – happiest in warmer, humid weather. To the rescue with his misting bottle and humidifying interventions, ARCA’s invaluable organ technician Jason Wiles saved the day – climbing up the ladder to the infuse the blower behind the percussion shelf with much needed moisture!
The Spirit of Christmas was overflowing as the audience responded to a final call to action by long time Wurlitzer fan, David Diffenderfer, who had given three times during the campaign and offered another thousand dollars if it would be met by the concert. And it was!!
Matching his generosity, audience members brought in numerous checks and cash that allowed ARCA to reach its fund raising goal during the concert! It was a Holly Jolly Christmas concert INDEED – with sincere gratitude to EVERYONE who has given so generously to help ARCA reach its goal so this treasured instrument will continue to touch audiences with for generations to come.
Thank you to Carole Anderson for her sponsorship of Dave Wickerham’s Christmas concert and for her very generous support of the restoration of the McKissick Mighty Wurlitzer.
And a SPECIAL THANK YOU to the Foxburg Free Library for allowing ARCA patrons arriving from Main Street to use the front entrance of the Library and take the interior steps… and to Board member Dennis Keyes and Marg for welcoming them – with Eli and Anggel Lowry guiding people down the South Palmer Street ramp entrance. It took a community of villagers to make it all happen – Thank you to all!
