A Victorian Christmas Concert – Dennis Geib & Friends – SOLD OUT

Dennis Geibpiano
Jamie Bastellosoprano
Kevin Downeytenor
Nicholaus Nasibyanvocals and piano
Oliver Wangpiano
Teal Weatherleyvocals
Evan Wolfgongpiano


We regret that this concert is SOLD OUT.

To be put on a Wait List, please call 724-659-3153.

 

With the tree up and presents wrapped, bring your family as well as the little ones to open your hearts to the BEAUTY AND TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS in charming, storybook Foxburg village, ablaze with thousands of Christmas lights and colorful decorations, as ARCA presents gloriously talented vocalists and pianists from the region in “A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS” with Dennis Geib and Friends on Sunday, December 22 at 2 PM in Lincoln Hall.  Students and children are free with adult tickets $15.

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS with inspiring popular and classical Christmas favorites – vocal solos and duets, dazzling pianism and swinging Holiday jazz standards performed by pianist Dennis Geib with vocalists Kevin Downey, Jamie Bastello, and Teal Weatherley; vocalist/jazz pianist Nicholas Nasibyan; and pianists Oliver Wang and Evan Wolfgong.

Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts is proud to welcome back to the Lincoln Hall Steinway its friend Dennis Geib, who performed a concert for ARCA with young prodigies a few years ago and returns with his Victorian Christmas Concert which he has produced annually in Franklin, PA for many years. Once again, he brings with him extraordinarily talented young musicians from the region.

The program filled with stirring and beloved Christmas songs surely will touch the heart – featuring contemporary solos by vocalist Kevin Downey and Jamie Bastello in Christmas classics, in O Holy Night and Gounod’s Ave Maria. They will join voices in the stirring duet, Time to Say Goodbye.

Contemporary vocalist Teal Weatherley will join Kevin Downey in popular and traditional duets as well as solos.  Vocal repertoire will include Mary Did You Know, Breathe of Heaven, The Man with the Bag, and The First Noel – as well as Merry Christmas Darling by the Carpenters.

Fifteen year old, virtuoso pianist Oliver Wang who is a first year boarding student at the Interlochen Arts Academy (the nation’s premier boarding school for high school artists) will dazzle the audience performing classical works by Bach and Mozart, and Evan Wolfgong will play both classical and popular Christmas piano solos – arrangements of Christmas Time is Here and Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

Nicholaus Nasibyan returns to Lincoln Hall a decade after he made his ARCA debut, playing and singing popular holiday jazz standards from the piano.

Dennis Geib will accompany the artists and solo in his Christmas piano fantasy – sure to inspire and bring a tear to the eye.

As a devoted and inspired Christian, Dennis Geib has said that with his Victorian Christmas concerts he fulfills his commitment to nurture the talents of young musicians, to give back and “pay the blessing forward” in gratitude in the same way he was encouraged and given opportunities to develop his love for music and pianistic talent by “angels” in his native Franklin.

Photo – John M. Karian

A favorite pianist of ARCA’s late founder and President, Dr. Arthur Steffee, Dennis recently performed an original piano composition, “For Him” in the Memorial concert in Dr. Steffee’s honor.  Dennis Geib said, “Art Steffee was the most unique man I’ve ever met. I will never forget seeing the sparkle in his eye when I brought the young prodigy pianists to perform for him and in Lincoln Hall.”

One of the fondest memories of my life – and perhaps the highlight of my musical career – was performing in his home for him alone after guests had left – playing the Movies of the Mind that I improvise.  As the music engulfed his soul and spirit it brought tears to his eyes. Yes, real men cry.  It will be my honor to return with more young talented musicians to the concert hall and organization he founded.”

The Victorian Christmas Concert with its beautiful and touching Christmas music is perfectly suited to storybook, historic Foxburg – nostalgic and quaint with glittering and colorful Christmas decorations.

Join us to celebrate the holidays and create treasured Christmas memories with your family – and be sure to arrive early to do some last-minute shopping in the splendid exhibit of the Cooperative Artists in the Red Brick Gallery & Gift Shop’s Holiday Art Show, filled to the brim with one-of-a kind handmade artisan gifts for everyone on your list!   Open from 12 noon to 5 PM on Sunday, December 22.

The Victorian Christmas Concert tickets are moving quickly, so be sure to buy or reserve early.

Concert Tickets:  Adults $15, Children and Students FREE

Call to reserve:  724-659-3153 to pay by cash or check at the door, or buy online here.  WALK-INS WELCOME

As you plan your Christmas celebrations – be sure to reserve early to dine at The Allegheny Grille or Foxburg Pizza, and enjoy a romantic weekend get-away night at the elegantly but rustically renovated Foxburg Inn where every room has a view of the river – and enjoy a special Holiday 20% room discount when purchasing a 20% discounted ticket to the Victorian Christmas ARCA concert.

Discount Offer – Foxburg Inn & ARCA Concert Tickets

Forget your Winter Worries and bring the family to a concert in Lincoln Hall and stay at the Foxburg Inn for LESS.

With gratitude to the new owners of the Foxburg Inn, during the holiday season when you spend a romantic night at the newly renovated and rustically elegant Foxburg Inn AND purchase tickets for an ARCA concert from November 24 through December 22, you will receive a 20% room discount as well as the discounted Members’ ticket price for the concert!

To receive a 20% discount on concert tickets AND a night at the Foxburg Inn, first purchase the special ticket voucher through the Foxburg Inn website for discounted performance tickets of your choice  – which will trigger the 20% off standard overnight accommodations at Foxburg Inn!
Once you purchase your tickets, you will be sent an additional link via your email afterwards to book your room at 20% off! Be sure to check your spam folder or add Foxburg Inn as a contact!
Hurry, there’s limited availability!
*All offers subject to availability.

If you have questions, you may call the hotel directly at  (724) 659-3116.

 

About the Artists

Dennis Geib

Pianist Dennis Geib hails from Franklin, PA, where he began his musical career at age five and has continued to contribute to the cultural community producing and playing in concerts, benefits, festivals, weddings, funerals, private parties and local events.

Attending Franklin High School, he served as accompanist for its a cappella choirs and glee clubs. Dennis was president of the Pennsylvania Federation of Music Clubs local chapter and for eight years earned superior ratings at Federation music festivals. He won first place in the Erie Diocese Piano Competition.

Dennis received his formal training in classical music from the Sisters of Mercy. A full scholarships student at the Chautauqua Institution of Music for three years, he studied with instructors from Eastman School of Music, The Julliard School, and Paris Conservatory. One instructor who was particularly inspirational – Ozan Marsh – was a pupil of the Russian pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Over the years, Dennis has performed in countless musical venues, on television and radio, and on university campuses across the United States. While a member of the Fayreweather Band, he opened concerts for national touring music bands such as ACDC, Heart, Edgar Winters, and others.

After moving to Texas in 1982, he played regularly at prestigious hotels and churches and at major venues in the Dallas-Fort Worth area – including the Morton Myerson Symphony Hall, The Weisfeld Performing Arts Center, and The Eisenman Center. His improvisatory pianism entertained such well-known individuals as Governor Rick Perry, Vice-President Dick Cheney, T. Boone Pickens, Jerry Jones, world dignitaries and actors, including David Bowie’s wife, Iman.

Dennis was the keyboardist at Prince of Peace Lutheran church in Dallas, TX for over 23 years. during which time he also performed at numerous charitable events to benefit the Autism Treatment Center, the Dallas Life foundation, The Juvenile Diabetes Center, The Troy Aikman Foundation, the American Cancer society, and with the late Lou Rawls to aid special needs children. Dennis also performed on a weekly basis entertaining in senior nursing homes, assisted living homes, and memory care units.

Since relocating back to Franklin, Pennsylvania, Dennis has organized and performed in concerts which benefit Mustard Seed Missions of Venango County, utilizing local musicians, many of whom are Taste of Talent winners. He has performed in concerts for Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts in Lincoln Hall and in the Transit Building, Pipeline Alley, and for Applefest in Franklin. He has performed at the Venango Museum for First Night in Oil City and at numerous churches.

In 2005, Dennis was hired as a musical therapist at UPMC Northwest, giving him the opportunity to continue to share his musical ministry with communities in need.  He also has donated his services in piano master classes with area prodigy pianists.

Throughout his musical career, Dennis has always remembered where he came from – and proudly claimed he was a native of Franklin, PA, his hometown.

Jamie Bastello

Jamie Bastello (she/her, formerly known as Amy Stout) is an opera singer, live performer, recording artist, and socially engaged artist from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Originally from Austin, Texas, Jamie was in her first opera, La Bohème, at the University of Texas. She was recognized at an early age for her vocal talents and was trained by an international opera singer, Gina Decloux. In 1993, Jamie moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she studied with retired Metropolitan Opera singer Helen Vanni. In 1997, she studied applied voice at the University of New Mexico. During this period, she performed in such operatic works as I Pagliacci, Cavalleria Rusticana and at the International Opera Academy of Rome, performed Le Nozze di Figaro in Rome, Italy.

In 2000, Jamie performed professionally with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, an internationally acclaimed chorale in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In addition to releasing two solo albums, Jamie has also worked with esteemed composer Conrad DeJong in recording his original work, “Sea Drift.” Jamie has performed as a guest performer and solo artist throughout Colorado and New Mexico.

Recently, Jamie was invited to live and work in Oil City, Pennsylvania through the Arts Oil City Artist Relocation Program. She was drawn to the program because of its focus on supporting and promoting local artists and was excited to be a part of the revitalization efforts happening in Oil City. Since moving to Pennsylvania, Jamie has been actively involved in the local arts community, collaborating with other artists and cultivating programming and projects that showcase the talent and creativity of the region such as “Artist Sunday.” Jamie has also recently performed as a soloist with the Venango Regional Choir and a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with The Franklin Civic Operetta Association.

Jamie is committed to using her talents to make a difference in the world and is constantly seeking new opportunities to connect with audiences and share her love of music. She is excited to see what the future holds and is looking forward to continuing to grow and evolve as an artist.

Kevin Downey

Kevin Downey was the winner of the 2011 Taste of Talent in Franklin, PA singing the tenor aria Nessun dorma from Puccini’s Turandot.  

Kevin’s solo performances and duets with Brianna Steves have been acclaimed in holiday concerts and benefits with Dennis Geib.

Especially touching is his duet of The Prayer with Brianna Steves, which he has sung in the annual Victorian Christmas concerts in Franklin.

Also a songwriter, his originals can be heard On YouTube as well as his covers ranging from Autumn Leaves to Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.

Nicholaus Nasibyan

Nicholas Nasibyan is a native of Erie, Pennsylvania and graduate of Mercyhurst Preparatory School, and former student at Mercyhurst University, where he studied composition under Dr. Albert Glinsky. At Mercyhurst, Nicholas also pursued secondary concentrations in piano performance and Russian language. He has been playing the piano, singing, and writing songs since the age of 4, initially learning his way around the keyboard by ear. His formal music education began under teachers Jean Thompson and Janet Fielding. Later piano teachers include Dennis Geib, Dr. Shirley Yoo, and Dr. Nathan Hess. Nicholas began playing the organ at 7, and while taking some lessons is mostly self taught.

Nicholas currently works as Director of Music and Organist at Wayside Presbyterian Church as well as accompanist for the Mercyhurst University Dance Department. He previously was the Director of Music at Belle Valley Presbyterian Church in Erie, PA and at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Corry, PA. He is also a freelance musician and a founding member of “Chautauqua Jazz Revival”, a band which performs regularly in Erie as well as in Chautauqua County, NY. Finally, over the past two summers, Nicholas has worked as the house musician at “Splash”, a restaurant in Bemus Point, NY.

Teal Weatherley

Teal Weatherly is a versatile singer/comedian and vocalist in styles ranging from musical theatre to rock and contemporary crossover.  She was voted winner of Chautauqua’s Got Talent competition in 2013 with her performance of “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston.

As a singer-actress, Teal has appeared as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes and Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray at Jamestown Community College.  She is a former voice instructor at Infinity Visual and Performing Arts.

Teal also is lead singer in the band We Speak Canadian. She lives in Jamestown, NY.

Evan Wolfgong

Evan Wolfgong has been playing piano since the age of seven, performing in the concerts for the past five years. While currently pursuing a degree in Health and Physical Education at Slippery Rock University, in addition to his academic focus he still is devoted to his musical pursuits.  Evan is passionate about sharing his love for piano with others, especially through playing in churches; he currently plays drum set in his church worship band.

Evan studies piano at the Rocsato Conservatory of Music in Titusville, PA, under the instruction of Dr. Amber Nicholson. He also has had the privilege for many years to work with Dennis Geib, who has been an extraordinary inspiration to him in his piano journey.

Oliver Wong

Oliver Wang is a fifteen year old studying piano in his first year boarding at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. Born in China, he won his first piano competition at the age of four years old.  When his parents settled in Meadville, PA, he became a student of Doug Jurs, a professor at Allegheny College, winning multiple competitions and performing with Dennis Geib in concerts in Franklin, PA.

In 2021, Oliver won first prize in the Children B Group of the Pittsburgh International Piano Competition. At the age of twelve in 2022, Oliver was awarded the Gold Award of the Junior Division of the International Piano Competition (one of three in his age division) organized by the World Piano Teachers Association Finland Piano Competition, performing a Mozart Sonata and Chopin Waltz.  As a result, in July of 2022, he performed in New York City’s Carnegie Hall Bela Bartok’s Sonatina and Moritz Moszkowski’s Etude in F – earning him a first prize in the competition.

Oliver won the President’s Award and the Concerto Award in the 2023 Junior Festivals State Piano Competition organized by The Pennsylvania Federation of Music Clubs (PFMC) and in 2024 once again won the President’s Award in the same competition.

Aa a youngster in Beijing, Oliver also began playing hockey, in which he also excelled and a sport he continued when moving to Meadville.  The coach for the Crawford Country Flames 12-and-under team on which played said he was one of the better players.    His Meadville teacher Doug Jurs felt that the adrenaline rush athletes experience when they are “in the zone” translates to the key board.   “One thing I love about Oliver’s playing,” he said, “is that there’s a kind of athletic and competitive aspect to his playing.”

ARRIVE EARLY & Shop at the RBG!

Plan to Make a Day of it in beautiful Foxburg and get some Christmas Shopping done at the Red Brick Gallery and Foxburg Wine Cellars before the concert.

Glittering with Christmas decorations, The Red Brick Gallery and Gift Shop Annual Holiday Art Show & Exhibit will be open before the Victorian Christmas concert on Sunday, December 22 from noon to 5 PM for your last minute Christmas shopping. 

Looking for one-of-a-kind gifts for those special people on your list?  The Red Brick Gallery and Gift Shop Annual Holiday Art Show & Exhibit will feature unique, artisan quality hand-made gifts created by RBG Cooperative Member Artists in a variety of media including sterling silver, gemstone, and costume jewelry; hand woven scarves, rugs and placemats; hand-turned bowls and vases, as well as rustic cutting boards and wooden tables; pottery; wearable art and handknit children’s dresses; hand-made baskets; oil and watercolor paintings, pencil drawings, fine art photography, and greeting cards.

There will be something for everyone on your holiday list, and maybe even a few items for yourself!

The RBG Annual Holiday Art Show & Exhibit spans six weekends from Friday, November 15 to Sunday, December 22, featuring gifts created by Red Brick Gallery Cooperative Member Artists: Karin Arnds, Taylor Banner, Chris Bauer, Joanne Crosbie, Mark DeWalt, Donna Edmonds, Angela Taylor Hardwick, Ann Harting, Kathy Hogg, Dennis Keyes, Jason Floyd Lewis, Karen Mortland, Nissa Rappoport, Linda Thompson and Cathy & Jack Trzeciak.

Make It a Foxburg Holiday Outing!

Enjoy the beauty of Christmas in historic, storybook Foxburg village, decorated for the holidays with thousands of lights and colorful decorations – overlooking the beautiful Allegheny-Clarion River valley.

ALLEGHENY GRILLE

MAKE IT LUNCH or DINNER AND A CONCERT: During the holiday season before or after one of ARCA’s Christmas concerts, enjoy the fine dining menu at the Allegheny Grille – at a table in front of the fireplace – cozy and warm –  or at a table overlooking the Allegheny River, beautiful in any season!  

Enjoy their seasonal cocktails, weekend specials and enticing desserts. 

Be sure to make a reservation to ensure that you have a seat – and plan to arrive early enough before a concert to be served in their main dining room with plenty of time to get to Lincoln Hall!

 

FOXBURG PIZZA

Or for more casual fare, dine at Foxburg Pizza with delicious salads, a huge variety of sandwiches and pizzas of the month – and every combination you can think of!

The dining rooms is ALL decorated for Christmas and Light Up Night – when Santa greeted the children and gave them gifts, compliments of the Foxburg Chamber of Commerce.

 

FOXBURG WINE CELLARS

Be sure to save time to enjoy a wine tasting in the newly renovated Foxburg Wine Cellars  or enjoy a bottle of wine on the beautiful patio insulated for winter enjoyment.

Or do some Christmas shopping for stocking stuffers – and bottles of Foxburg specialty wines and after-dinner dessert wines as hostess gifts for holiday parties and for your holiday celebrations, as well as unique wine-related stocking stuffers for those wine lovers on your list.

Not to mention something for yourself, like their deliciously robust River Queen, guaranteed to warm you on cold winter nights.

 

FOXBURG INN

Plan to enjoy a wonderful pre-Christmas weekend enjoying the peace of the valley and The Victorian Christmas concert – extending your stay on Saturday or Sunday night at the newly renovated, romantic Foxburg Inn, where every room has a view of the river!

River view from a room in the Foxburg Inn

If you reserve early, you can get the room with the fireplace!

With gratitude to the new owners of the Foxburg Inn, during the holiday season when you spend a romantic night at the newly renovated and rustically elegant Foxburg Inn AND attend an ARCA concert from November 24 through December 22, you will receive a room discount as well as the discounted Members’ ticket price for the concert!

To reserve discount concert tickets AND a night at the Foxburg Inn, you may go online to The Foxburg Inn. OR you may call the hotel directly at  (724) 659-3116.