Former PA Governor’s Pennypacker Mills Estate Offers Free Holiday Deck the Halls Mansion Tours through January 9th, Victorian Décor and Traditions Abound at this Montgomery County Historical Site

By Catherine J. Barrier

Governor Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker (1843-1916), a Republican, served as Governor of Pennsylvania for one term, from 1903 to 1907, during his fellow conservationist Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency. 

In the early 20-Century, Pennypacker Mills encompassed 135-acres and was a working “Gentleman’s Farm”.  At that time, it was fashionable to be associated with farming and to be considered hard-working and close to the land, and Governor Pennypacker embraced these ideals.

Indeed, in the early 1900’s, most Americans were still farmers (almost 50%) or came from farm families.  Horses provided the power for farming; they pulled most of the heavy farm machinery, usually in teams of two.  Certain seasonal jobs, such as preparing the soil for planting in the spring, spreading manure on the fields in the spring or summer—to fertilize the ground, and weeding the summer fields between rows of plants—to keep the crops healthy, needed to be done yearly.  Then in late summer or early autumn, the crops had to be harvested and the grains then stored to dry—in preparation for threshing, that is for the separating of the barley, oat, or wheat kernels, for example, from the stalks.  It was dirty work and often done on still very hot days.  In the winter, farm machinery was repaired, animals cared for, and buildings and fences fixed.  Winter was also the season to can or smoke meat.  There was always work to be done on a farm, and Pennypacker Mills was always bustling with activity as well.

What we know today as the Pennypacker Mansion (and Estate) first belonged to a Pennypacker family member in 1747 and was a stone German farmhouse.  The Governor bought it in 1900 and had it refurbished in what is called the Colonial Revival Style.  This style is normally characterized by things such as rectangular, symmetrical façades; gabled roofs; dormers; pillars and columns; simple, classical detailing; temple-like entrances, having porticos topped by pediment; and multi-pane, double-hung windows with shutters.  In 1980, Montgomery County purchased the Pennypacker Mills Estate, fully furnished, from a member of the Pennypacker family.



The Christmas Tree,
with Victorian Decorations

 “We have the house filled with Victorian decorations, so it looks like it did in 1900 when the Governor [and his family] lived here, and we give tours of the Mansion” said Ella Aderman, the Pennypacker Mills Site Supervisor, who has an M.A. in Historic Preservation, has worked as an interior designer, and has taught art.  She has been at Pennypacker Mills for the past 15 years. 

“The site has been open for 25 years and has been decorated and open for holiday tours each year,” said Aderman.  “The decorations change every year, but they’re all based on Victorian themes and/or on German or Dutch traditions.  The Pennypacker Family was of German and Dutch descent.”

Now through Sunday, January 9, 2011, Pennypacker Mills offers its Deck the Halls Holiday Mansion Tours.  The house is located on the Pennypacker estate at 5 Halderman Road (at the intersection of Rts. 73 & 29), in Schwenksville (19473).  See antique musical instruments, garner great decorating ideas, see Clear Toy Candy, learn about the (family) life of one of Pennsylvania’s former governors, and much more.  Guided tours are available Tuesdays-Saturdays 10-4 and Sundays 1-4, but the site is closed Mondays, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day.  The last tour of the day is at 3:30 p.m.  The Mansion tour is Free, but there is a suggested donation of $2 per person for admission to Pennypacker Mills.  For more information, see http://www.historicsites.montcopa.org/; call (610) 287-9349; or E-mail: PennypackerMills@montcopa.org. 

“The staff and several volunteers decorated the house,” said Aderman.  “We have a group of 10 to 12 volunteers who decorated it, but there’s a lot of time spent planning for the actual decorating ahead of time.”

“Our theme this year is music, since we [currently] have a musical instrument exhibit,” said Aderman.  “Not all the people in Victorian times could afford to take private music lessons or knew how to read music, so there were lots of gadgets that people came up with to have music in their homes during the holidays.  And many times these required some kind of turning of a crank handle or some other simple action.”

Now through next September 1^st, 2011, during regular museum hours, samples of these popular mechanical musical devices that produced entertaining music for family and friends are on display in the second floor gallery, a two-room gallery that features changing exhibits of the kinds of things Governor Pennypacker liked and collected.  And the musical devices in this “Wind It Up & Hear It Play: Mechanical Music of the 19^th-Century” display are not only for viewing; visitors are also treated to how the individual instruments sound and to sounds of music from the past.

“For our musical instruments exhibit, we have actual antique instruments [not reproductions], and we demonstrate how they are played,” said Aderman.  “It’s a hands-on kind of thing.”  Some of the instruments on display include a barrel organ and other instruments that have either a metal projection of some sort—and work like modern music boxes—or bellows.  For the former, “. . . it’s all a matter of where the bumps are; they control the sound,” said Aderman.  These musical demonstrations are included on the regular tours of the Mansion.

“Many of these musical gadgets were fairly inexpensive, and some were even given away by companies, as promotional items, during the holidays,” said Aderman.

Ms. Aderman finds the Pennypacker Mills site to be quite unique.

“There are so many different things to talk about and do for interesting programs here [at Pennypacker Mills], and there’s incredible documentation!” said Aderman.

“We have lots of receipts, so we know what [the Pennypacker family members] were buying and what they had,” said Aderman.  “The house is full of things that [Governor Pennypacker] collected, and everything is well-documented.”

Some of the things that Governor Pennypacker collected included thousands of volumes and manuscripts, many of early Pennsylvania imprints, and many containing information about the German colonists in Pennsylvania or having been printed by Benjamin Franklin.

Holiday-Decorated Bedroom at Pennypacker Mills

“We don’t know everything [The Pennypacker Family] did during the holiday season, but we do know more than many other historical sites do [because of all the surviving records],” said Aderman.  “[And] ninety-five percent of what we have in the house is original to the house and the family, and we have the documents and receipts to prove it.”

“Many of the decorations of the [Victorian] time were imported by the family from Germany, or ordered from the Sears Catalog or from John Wanamaker’s [Department Store] in Philadelphia,” said Aderman. (The Sears Catalog had, by the turn of the century, become one of only two books some rural folks ever read—the other one being the Bible.  And Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck first produced a catalog in 1888.  Later, catalogs were introduced periodically, when they felt they had enough new items to sell.  John Wanamaker & Co., on the other hand, was the first department store in Philadelphia and one of the first department stores in the United States.)  “But they made many decorations at that time, too, and they didn’t have printed wrapping paper.”  Some of the hand-made decorations of the day included raisin and nut garland, popcorn balls, tinfoil decorations, orange baskets, and Gilded English Walnuts.  In lieu of wrapping paper, the Pennypackers and other Victorians found other, creative ways to package and present their gifts to one another.

Some of the examples of specifically Victorian decorations that can be found in the Mansion house are decorations made of what was called “scrap”, bits and pieces of all kinds of everyday things.

“There are dried branches, having color added by the placement of things such as pine cones and berries, and roses made of satin ribbon and crèpe paper—all to add color; good ribbon is key to decorating during this [Victorian] time period,” said Aderman.

One of the things visitors will find in the Mansion is samples of Clear Toy Candy.  This treat is a Pennsylvania-German tradition that dates back to the 18^th-Century when children received it as a holiday gift.

Samples of Clear Toy Candy at
Pennypacker Mills

“Clear Toy Candy is basically sugar, heated and put into antique molds to shape it into clear shapes of different kinds of toys and animals anywhere from 1-1/2” to 5” large,” said Aderman.  “The antique candy molds were made in a Philadelphia-based company, and the candy was popular especially in the Mid-Atlantic region—for example, in Pennsylvania and Maryland—during Victorian times.  The candy was usually gold, red, or green in color, and the pieces of candy often served as decorations in the home as well.  For kids, the neat thing about it was to see which shape you got, and the possibilities were endless.  There were Santa’s, frogs on bicycles, almost anything.”  One candymaker, Young’s Candies on Girard Avenue, was famous for making this Candy for more than 100 years, from 1897 through 2006.  Young Candies’ more than 250 candy molds have since been purchased by the Berley Brothers, who continue to make this seasonal candy.

Governor Pennypacker would most likely have appreciated the fact that the Victorian Era’s holiday traditions are preserved each year at his former home.

“[Governor Pennypacker] was interested in history from the time he was 11 and found some Indian arrowheads, and he was the ‘go-to-guy’ to ask about history during his day,” said Aderman.  “He was the President of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and he talked about the history of Pennsylvania when he campaigned.  He started the State Archives and the State Museum.” 

Samuel Pennypacker was born in Phoenixville, and later, as a young man, interrupted his education to enlist as a private in Company F of the 26^th Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia.  He fought in the Civil War around Gettysburg and later studied law at the University of Pennsylvania.  He opened his own law practice in 1866.  Soon thereafter, he became the President of the Philadelphia Law Academy.

On October 20, 1870, Samuel Pennypacker married his childhood sweetheart, Virginia Earle Broomall, and they eventually had 4 children: three daughters and a son.  Before 1880, he received his Doctor of Law degree from Franklin and Marshall College.  And while he’d studied French and Latin at school, later in his life, he taught himself Dutch, German, and Spanish.

Pennypacker began his public service in 1885, with his appointment to the Philadelphia Board of Education.  Also during the 1880’s, he received several judgeships and became President of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in 1900.  He won his bid for Governor in 1902, and while in office signed the Child Labor Act of 1905 into law.  This Act set a minimum age and standards for young workers.  Later, Pennypacker created the Pennsylvania State Police—the first statewide police force in America.  Also in 1905, he founded the Pennsylvania State Museum, and the following year vetoed a bill that would have become the first compulsory sterilization law in the United States.  Also during his tenure as Governor, Pennypacker oversaw the completion, in 1906, of the new Pennsylvania State Capitol Building (following the older one’s having burned down in 1897).

The Mansion's Dining Room,
Decorated for the Christmas Holidays

“[People should come and tour the Mansion during the holiday season] because it’s a wonderful time period, and most of our current holiday traditions came about at this [Victorian] time,” said Aderman.  “[The Mansion is] a comfortable, warm house, with a great layout, and the Christmas decorations add to the overall atmosphere.”

“It’s a stone house with deep window sills, and the fireplace is the focal point of each of the rooms,” said Aderman.

The Museum Shop is open year round, sells the Clear Toy Candy, and is the perfect place to find that unique gift and/or the seasonal Victorian Era item(s) needed to add that special touch to your holiday décor.

After leaving office, Governor Pennypacker returned to his law practice and to writing.  As a writer, he wrote about law, early local and state history, genealogy, his autobiography, and several other biographies.  And he and his family resided at Pennypacker Mills, where he died on September 2, 1916, at the age of 73.

“I love to see the expressions on the peoples’ faces when they walk into a room that they especially like,” said Aderman.  “People have a warm feeling about the house and speak of how it’s a wonderful resource in the community.  It’s a nice location, and in the winter, there are still things to see and do.”

This holiday season, why not travel back in time to the Victorian Era and experience the kind of holiday traditions the Pennypacker Family enjoyed.  It should make the season extra special.

* Photos Courtesy of the Montgomery County Department of Parks and Heritage Services

© 2010 by Catherine J. Barrier.  All rights reserved.

Holly Nights at Pennsbury Manor, a Time to Remember Pennsylvania’s Founder and to Celebrate the Christmas Season in 17th-Century Style

By Catherine J. Barrier

William Penn in King Charles II's Breakfast
Chamber at Whitehall

Although William Penn spent, in total, less than 4 years in America, his influence on what became the U.S. government was great.  During his lifetime, both in England and in his colony of Pennsylvania, Penn fought for freedom of religion, for freedom of assembly, and for the right to a trial by jury.  As a Quaker, he was a pacifist and believed in people being governed by laws of their own making.  When he was first granted the charter for what King Charles II called “Pennsylvania” (literally “Penn’s Woods”), in honor of Penn’s father, Admiral Sir William Penn, the younger Penn wrote to the Swedish, Finnish, and Dutch already living in his colony to assure them that he would allow them a part in making the rules that they would be expected to live by and to state that there would be freedom to worship God according to one’s own conscience there.  Years later, Thomas Jefferson would say of Penn that he was “the greatest law-giver the world has produced”.  Eventually, many of Penn’s values, ideas, and laws for his colony became basic tenets of law in the new United States of America.

On Thursday night, December 9^th and Friday night, December 10^th, Pennsbury Manor, the home of William Penn along the Delaware River, located at 400 Pennsbury Memorial Road in Morrisville, PA (19067), will present its annual Holly Nights, rain or shine, from 5:30-9:00 p.m.  Step back into the 17^th Century, to a simpler time of candlelight in the evenings, season carolers, colonial crafts, period clothing, a crackling bonfire, dramatic skits, and free hot cider.  Adults: $10; Senior Citizens: $8; Children 3-17: $5; Children under 3 are free.  Because the site is along the Delaware River, it can be reached by a short drive from U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 13, or the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  This is an outside event; dress appropriately.  For directions or more information, call (215) 946-0400, e-mail at willpenn17@aol.com, or see www.pennsburymanor.org.  A coupon, good for $1.00 off an adult admission, can be downloaded from the Website.

“[The Holly Nights at Pennsbury Manor have] been going on for quite some time now—for over 35 years,” said Tabitha Dardes, a spokeswoman for Pennsbury Manor and their Director of Public Relations and Marketing.

“It’s a festive event,” said Dardes.  “And along with the nice holiday event, there’s some education about life in the 17^th-Century,” said Dardes.

The Holly Nights event will include the demonstrations of several colonial crafts.

Open Hearth at Pennsbury Manor during Holly Nights

“We get to educate people about the 17^th-Century,” said Dardes.  “There’ll be an open hearth demonstration, craftsmen in the Blacksmith’s Shop will be working with metals, and joiners will show people the tools they used and the things they made—and there will be tours of the Manor House.”

“The Manor House has been recreated based on [information in] letters and other correspondence; it’s not the original building,” said Dardes, “but we do have period and reproduction furniture from the period—including some original pieces, so the house is furnished.”

“When people did excavation on the site, they found the foundation of Penn’s home, which he had had built in 1682.  [The present-day Manor House] is a reconstructed building of William Penn’s estate.  We found letters and documents, and the house was reconstructed based on the research available.”

Pennsbury Manor was reconstructed from archaeological evidence found mostly in the letters of instruction to James Harrison, the man Penn appointed his overseer at Pennsbury when Penn left for England in 1684 and to James Logan, whom Penn had brought to America as his personal secretary in 1699.

“The house is all decorated for the holidays and lit by candlelight,” said Dardes.  “And we have people stationed around to tell people about the house—for example, the Great Hall, where [Penn and his family] ate, the nursery, where one of Penn’s children [slept]—the only one born in America, and Penn’s bedroom.”  It was Penn’s son John, called “John the American” who was born in the New World.

A Joyner Working in the Shop

“[Pennsbury Manor] was a working estate, or plantation, with animals, gardens, and all the people making things [that the estate needed],” said Dardes.  “The estate wasn’t self-sufficient; they had to bring some things in, but they had crops, orchards, animals, and many people working on the property, working and living off of what they were doing here.”  Penn did send to town (to Philadelphia) for such things as bricks, lime, locks, nails, chocolate, flour, bacon, coffee, and cornmeal, and these would then be delivered by flatboat up the Delaware River to the landing in front of his manor home.

“The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has administered the property since the 1930’s, when the site was reconstructed,” said Dardes.  In 1932, the Charles Warner Company owned the land and gifted 10 acres of the original site to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Pennsbury opened in 1939.  But the Commission is not responsible for running the events at Pennsbury Manor.  “We have a non-profit (501)(c3) organization, called The Pennsbury Society [, established in 1966,] that helps administer the site,” said Dardes.  “It’s the organization that runs the special events, such as the Holly Nights, and that’s involved in bringing in the school programs, etc.  Our main focus here (at Pennsbury Manor) is education,” said Dardes.

“What we do is that, throughout the 2 evenings, we have various instrumental and choral groups come in,” said Dardes.  We bring in some local groups, such as the Men of Harmony and some other community groups—and some of the Pennsbury High School and Middle School groups will be performing.”

The Men of Harmony, formerly the United States Steel Chorus, is an organization of singers who exist to preserve the traditional religious, folk, and popular songs of our country while fellowshipping and enjoying the results of learning and performing.  In the 1940’s, many U.S. Steel plants formed choruses to entertain employees, their families, and the communities at large.  Sixty years ago, this group became the sixth U.S. Steel Chorus and from the back of a pick-up truck drove around the construction site singing Christmas Carols for the workers.  After the steel company no longer supported the chorus, the group became independent and today continues the tradition of singing for the enjoyment of others.

“The different groups perform at different spots throughout the [43 acres of the] property, so you can usually find something of particular interest to you going on,” said Dardes.

William Penn was born at Tower Hill, in London, on October 14, 1644.  His father, Admiral Sir William Penn, served in the Commonwealth Navy during the English Civil War and later received estates in Ireland from Oliver Cromwell.  Admiral Penn helped King Charles II return to the British throne, was eventually knighted, and later served in the Royal Navy.  So the younger Penn grew up under the rule of Oliver Cromwell, and he received a strictly classical education and was greatly influenced by Puritan behaviors, such as strictness, somberness, and lack of humor.

At 15, Penn was living with his family in Ireland, where he met Thomas Loe, a Quaker missionary.  During this time, Penn would later say he was “visited by God” and began to understand Him.  Back in England and at Oxford, young Penn rebelled against the rules to worship God only in the way of the official Anglican Church.  Because he was an embarrassment to them, his parents sent him to Paris, where he met a French Protestant theologian, Moise Amyraut, who further influenced Penn’s life.  Penn returned to London, studied law for a while, and lived through the plague in London in 1665, observing the suffering and death caused by it.  He also witnessed the persecution of Quakers who tried to help the sick.

The reign of King Charles II further tightened restrictions against all religious sects except the Anglican Church.  It became illegal to worship any other way, and Quakers were especially targeted.  Their meetings were considered criminal acts.  Despite this, Penn was attracted to Quakerism and began to attend Quaker meetings.  He was soon arrested for doing so, and decided to publically declare himself a Quaker.  So at 22, Penn joined the Quakers (the Religious Society of Friends), and his choice of faith greatly influenced who he was from then on, how he treated the Native American Indians in the New World years later, and eventually the government of the United States of America.

In 1681, King Charles II granted William Penn the charter for “Pennsylvania”, partly in payment for a debt the king owed Penn’s deceased father, the Admiral, and the Founder of Pennsylvania and its first Governor not long afterwards set sail on the “Welcome”, to make the 2-month voyage by ship to come to the New World.  He arrived here in 1682 and began to realize his dream.

Penn, though deeply religious, was not an ascetic, and he wanted to establish a new society based on more freedom in his colony—and to see if people would be better and happier because of this freedom.  Penn believed good government was part of God’s plan for humanity, so he called this plan his “Holy Experiment”.  And Penn, as a Quaker, believed God’s communication came to each individual directly, and consequently, he believed in the rights of the individual, which later became important when Penn was setting up the government for his new colony.  He was a gifted administrator, and unlike many, did not seek personal power.

Penn was also committed to treating the local Native American Indians fairly; it was a Quaker principle to deal justly with neighbors, so he met with them and got their blessing to settle the new land of Pennsylvania.  Although he was given the land by King Charles II, Penn paid the Native American Indians for it, recognizing that they had been there first and would not recognize the validity of the King’s charter.  Thus, Penn was very fair with the Native American Indians, and no treaty he made with them was every broken during his lifetime.  His unfailing sense of fair play won him the Indians’ respect and affection, and his work with the Indians saved Pennsylvania from Indian wars for about seventy years.  After purchasing the land from the Indians, Penn then mapped out the town of Philadelphia, between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers and called for an election of representatives for a provincial Assembly before turning to the building of Pennsbury Manor in 1683.  It was also in 1683 that the first Quaker Meeting House was built in Philadelphia.

It took 4 years for Penn to build his country estate along the Delaware; it was completed in 1686, when Penn was abroad in England, and during that time, before sailing for England, Penn was often in Philadelphia, from where he governed his colony.  Once completed, Pennsbury had not only its Manor House, but a large stable, and many small buildings for various tasks, such as brewing and baking.  The original Manor House was a 2-story, Georgian-style home made of the typical 17^th-century red brick.  Today, the reconstructed Manor House is a three-story building rebuilt on the foundations of the original house.  It has dormer windows in the roof and is surrounded by the many estate buildings.  And it boasts more than 30,000 visitors per year.

Penn married Gulielma Maria Springett in 1672 and the couple ended up having 7 children, among them William Penn, Jr.  In 1683, Penn began the building of Pennsbury Manor, expecting that he and Gulielma would spend their days there, but circumstances in England forced Penn’s return there in 1684 before Gulielma ever came and before he’d been in the New World for a full 2 years.  Penn did not return to Pennsbury until 1699, fifteen years later.  Penn administered his colony of Pennsylvania via mail across the Atlantic during this time of much political unrest in England.  Political power changed in England while he was there, and Penn found himself suspected and finally accused of treason.  Shortly after being acquitted of those charges, Penn suffered the death of his Gulielma.

When Governor William Penn returned to Pennsylvania in 1699, it was with his second wife, Hannah Callowhill, and his grown daughter, Letitia.  The following year, on January 29, 1700, his son John, called “John, the American”, was born.  It was also during this time, between 1699 and 1701, that the Penns entertained distinguished guests from Europe, the Indian Nations, and even governors of other colonies. 

Bust of William Penn

And during this second visit to Pennsylvania, Penn drew up his Charter of Privileges, a new from of government which outlined a type of self-government for the colony of Pennsylvania and which remained in effect for almost 75 years, until the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.  A type of constitution, the Charter of Privileges was adopted in October 1701.  Year’s later, in 1751, a bell was cast for the 50^th anniversary of the Charter of Privileges.  Today, we know this bell as the Liberty Bell, and it is engraved with the words “Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof”, words taken from the Book of Leviticus (in the Bible), from Chapter 25, Verse 10.

Also during this second visit to Pennsylvania, Penn influenced the governors in neighboring New York and in Virginia to start increasing co-operation with one another.  While true unity between the colonies did not truly happen until later in the century, Penn was already pushing for it in the New World in the beginning of 18^th-Century.

Because the administration of Pennsylvania was in danger of politically being taken over by the Crown back in England, Penn needed to cross the ocean again in 1701.  He hoped to return to Pennsylvania quickly, but he never saw America, or Pennsbury, again.  Political machinations, Pennsylvania-Maryland boundary quarrels in England, increasing poverty, bad health, and general old age kept Penn away.  The only Penn to live at Pennsbury after 1701 was Penn’s son, William Penn, Jr. who arrived there in February 1704, but only remained for about a year.  Penn’s wife Hannah and daughter Letitia had insisted on returning to England with Penn in 1701.  In 1711, William Penn had his first stroke.  The following year, he had 2 other attacks and soon became incompetent.  He died on July 30, 1718, at the age of 73.  In 1792, after the United States was established, Penn’s heirs sold the family estate along the Delaware.

“[At Holly Nights,] we have a big bonfire, and there’s free cider, … and the pathways and buildings are lit by candlelight, so people can roam about and see all the wonderful things on those evenings,” said Dardes.

“There will also be 17^th-century Mummers present,” said Dardes.  “They’re role players who do little skits, giving people [a visual demonstration] of what went on in the 17^th-Century.  It’s just another little thing to see and do.”

Stringing Cranberries at Holly Nights

“I love [Holly Nights] because, … obviously, I work here, but there are people who have been coming for years, and who now bring their kids—kicking off the season,” said Dardes.  “They return every year and say, ‘We look forward to this year-after-year’.  It’s nice to hear the people are so fond of it.  They say, ‘We’re making it a tradition’.  And new people who attend say they’ll be coming back.”

“It’s an absolutely wonderful event!” said Dardes.  “And it’s a rain or shine event.  We’ll be here regardless.  But since it is an outside event, people should dress appropriately.”

“[The Holly Nights are] the only time you can come [to see Pennsbury Manor] at night,” said Dardes.  “It gives you a different feel and air about the place.  It’s a special and festive event.”

So, why not come experience William Penn’s home along the Delaware in much the way he would have known it this holiday season—at Holly Nights on December 9^th and 10^th.

* Photos of Docents & Craftsmen at Pennsbury Manor, Courtesy of Pennsbury Manor, Administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC).

© 2010 by Catherine J. Barrier.  All rights reserved.

Bucks County Winemakers Continue a French Tradition, Crossing Vineyards and Winery Festively Celebrates the Release of its Le Nouveau 2010

By Catherine J. Barrier

Wine in Pennsylvania?  Most definitely!  And the Pennsylvania wine industry is prospering—in Bucks County and elsewhere.

According to the Pennsylvania Wine Association’s Fact Sheet, Pennsylvania actually ranks 4^th nationally in the production of grapes, most of which are used for juice, but the state ranks 7^th nationally in the production of wine from grapes.  There are currently 123 wineries in Pennsylvania and more in Pennsylvania than in most of the other individual states in the Union.  And Pennsylvania’s tasting rooms were already receiving more than half a million people per year throughout the state’s 7 wine regions and 4 wine trails in 2003.  Today, there are 11 wine trails throughout the 7 wine regions of the state.

The Winery at Crossing Vineyards

This weekend, both Saturday and Sunday afternoons November 20 & 21, from Noon to 6 p.m., Crossing Vineyards and Winery, located at 1853 Wrightstown Road, in Washington Crossing, PA, will celebrate the first fruits of the season’s grape harvest with the release of its Le Nouveau 2010—just in time for Thanksgiving.  Live entertainment will be provided both days from 1-5 p.m., and wine tastings, by the glass and bottle, will be available for purchase.  For more information, see www.crossingvineyards.com, call (215) 493-6500, ext. 19, or e-mail to info@crossingvineyards.com.

“The Festival is a [Bucks County] Wine Trail event,” said Chris Carroll, one of the principals of Crossing Vineyards and Winery and its Director of Marketing/Public Relations.  “Maybe not all the vineyards [on the Trail] are making a new wine, but they’re all participating in the event in some way.  People should check the individual vineyards for the event schedules.”  To do so, see www.buckscountywinetrail.com.

 “What we are doing is to draw from the tradition in France, where they release the Beaujolais Nouveau each year—on the third Thursday in November,” said Carroll.  “We’re doing a wine that represents the first fruits of the vine for the year.  It’s typically not a wine geared for aging, although it can be aged.  It’s a very fruity, refreshing wine, lower in tannic structure and lower in alcohol content—about 11-1/2% to 12%.”

“On Friday night [November 19], we are hosting a special event for our Wine Club members,” said Carroll.  “The members are invited to a private event, where we offer them a tasting of the Le Nouveau wine.  It’s a kind of pre-release party and is complimentary to our Wine Club members.  We’ll serve hearty hors d’oeuvres with the wine.  [The Wine Club members are] good customers, and they know our wines.  This is something special we’re doing for them.  Of course, we offer special wine-purchasing discounts to our Wine Club members throughout the year. ”

“We’ll release the Le Nouveau wine to the public on that Saturday (November 20^th), and it’s a celebration of all our hard work over the growing season; it’s our ‘baby’, and we’re very proud of it,” said Carroll.

“Our 2010 Le Nouveau wine is made 100% from [our] estate fruit, that is, all the fruit used to make it is from our vineyards (15 active acres),” said Carroll.  “The name of the grape that the Le Nouveau wine is made from is chambourcin.  French winemakers whose wine bears the Beaujolais Nouveau appellation use gamay grapes to make their wine.  This Le Nouveau 2010 event, it’s our way of honoring the French tradition.”

The Harvesting of the Grapes in the Vineyard

Crossing Vineyards is dedicated to creating world class wines from the finest Pennsylvania fruit.  At Crossing Vineyards, the winemaking begins with fresh, hand-picked grapes that are processed within hours of being harvested.

“The method we use to make our wine is the French traditional method,” said Carroll.  “It’s called macération.  It’s basically a beaujolaise macération carbonique.  It’s a natural process of fermentation.  You don’t add any yeast.  In America, winemakers typically use yeast, but we use the French method.”

“Here’s the beauty of it for Thanksgiving,” said Carroll.  “It’s the perfect wine to pair with Thanksgiving dinner.  This wine is perfect, fruity, light, a ‘sauce’ for your turkey.”

“We are having live music [at the Le Nouveau Festival],” said Carroll.  “On Saturday, Karen Rodriguez’s Latin Jazz Ensemble will be performing between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m.  They’re great—so entertaining!  We have them for summer events, too.  We use her [and her Ensemble] for a lot of things.  On Sunday, Café Duo will perform, also from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.  They play flute and accordion, and it’s very French—like in a French café.  It’s a perfect match with our event.  The live music always makes the event very festive.”

On Saturday afternoon, the Karen Rodriguez Latin Jazz Ensemble returns to Crossing Vineyards for this festive event.  The Ensemble, which plays a lot of the jazz venues in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, features Karen Rodriguez, who can sing in Spanish, English, and/or Portuguese.

The Karen Rodriquez Latin Jazz Ensemble

“We’ve been together since 2000, and we play a lot of different kinds of music, such as the Salsa and the Cha Cha,” said Karen Rodriguez.  “We do some Brazilian rhythms, such as the bossa nova, but we also do Cuban rhythms.”

“For the 20^th [of November], we’re going to be in a trio arrangement,” said Rodriguez.  “We’re usually a 5-piece ensemble, but we’ll still do a mix of our Latin, Brazilian, and Cuban rhythms.”

“Crossing Vineyards has had us there numerous times over the past year and a half,” said Rodriguez.  “The property is gorgeous, breathtaking, and the people, Chris and Tom, are welcoming of all kinds of music.   It’s fantastic there!  We [always] have a wonderful time.  They just make us feel like family.  We just love it!” 

“And the wine is fantastic!” said Rodriguez.  “I’ve sampled the wine, and if one hasn’t done so, I’d say you should.  It’s well worth the trip there [to do so].”  For more information about the Karen Rodriguez Latin Jazz Ensemble, see www.gigmasters.com/latin/KarenRodriguez/ or www.myspace.com/karenrodriguezlatinjazzensemble.

On Sunday afternoon, Cathy Block on flute and Dallas Vietty on accordion, as Café Duo, will create a European atmosphere for the festival.

“[As] Café Duo[, we perform] French and Italian music,” said Cathy Block, an accomplished flutist, in both classical and jazz music.  “They are popular melodies that most people recognize and often get very excited to hear again.”

Café Duo has been together for about 5 years, and both Block and Vietty work with several other ensembles as well.  Cathy Block graduated magna cum laude from the Berklee College of Music with a degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging.  She has also studied at The Boston Conservatory of Music and has orchestrated for symphonic orchestra, big band, and small combos.  She is a music educator on faculty at Solebury School, and is the director of the jazz ensemble.  She also teaches songwriting and composition, and some of her songs have been recorded by well-known artists such as Diana Ross, Kool & the Gang, and Al Jarreau, just to name a few.  For more information about Café Duo, see www.buildingblockmusic.com/cafeduo/ or call (215) 794-2517.

“We help create a fun, European, and romantic ambience,” said Block.

“And we enjoy the people who visit Crossing Vineyards, as well as the staff there, who have always been very friendly,” said Block.  “We have performed [at] Crossing Vineyards many times and are always happy to return.”         

At Crossing Vineyards, music and wine mix to create a pleasant, festive afternoon.    



The Wine Tasting Room at Crossing Vineyards & Winery

 “We offer several wine-tasting options,” said Carroll.  “For our Standard Wine-Tasting option, we offer a sampling of 8-10 different wines.  The cost is $8.00.  Our Premium Wine-Tasting option offers a sampling of between 12 and 14 different wines, some, such as sparkling wines, not included in the Standard option.  The cost for the Premium Wine-Tasting option is $15.00.  Then we always have a wine and chocolate-paired tasting for $20.00.  It includes a box of chocolates, all arranged and paired with the wines.  That’s very popular!”  These tasting options are available this weekend and throughout the rest of the year.  The tasting room is open daily, seven days a week.  Private tastings with a certified wine educator can be arranged.

“We have a big variety of wines: our American Originals Series is our fruity wines, and then there are several other categories organized by pricing and the complexity of the wine,” said Carroll.  “There’s our Vintner’s Select [Series] wines, which are the medium-tier of wine, including some blends and some less complex wines.  We then have our Signature [Series] Wines, made with vinifera—these are the European wines, the wines with the European names that people recognize and are accustomed to; and then we have our Premium [Series] Wines, which are the estate wines.”

“Our Chardonnay ’08 won a Silver [Award],” said Carroll.  “Our Chardonnay is probably our most popular wine.  It has won all over—in California, in the Finger Lakes, and in regional competitions.  It doesn’t have too much of an oak taste.  It’s a good wine and a good value at $18.00.”

“We’ve done very well in competitions,” said Carroll.  “One of the most interesting recently is an award for our 2008 Riesling.  It won a Top Gold Award in a California competition in the spring of last year.  There were consumer judges, which means a lot to us because they are the kinds of people who come out and buy and drink our wine.  It’s a really good, ‘off-dry’ wine, and we still have some left.”  To date, Crossing Vineyards and Winery has won more than 90 awards for their wines.

“The winery is on the property of The David Barton Taylor House, which is on the Bucks County Registry of Historic Places,” said Carroll.  Crossing Vineyards and Winery is located less than one mile from where General George Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776.  One man who participated with the General in that historic crossing was Benjamin Taylor, and the house belonged to his son, David Barton Taylor.  While the exact age of the house, an excellent example of the Federal architectural style, is not known, the original farm was known as “Longmeadow” and was part of the King of England’s land grant to William Penn.  It has been listed as a County historical home since 1983, and Crossing Vineyards and Winery uses a picture of The David Barton Taylor house on its label.



Crossing Vineyards

 “We moved to the property in 1986, and when our then 10-year-old son Tom looked out the window one day, he just said, ‘Wouldn’t this make a great vineyard and winery’,” said Carroll.  “We don’t have a winemaking tradition in our family, and Pennsylvania is not really known for wine, but he just never forgot about that.  In his mid-twenties, he called us and said he wanted to come home and be rooted in the area.  He wanted to plant vines and start the vineyard and winery.  Mom and Dad were not sad to hear those words.  So, it’s a family business, but it’s his dream.”

“We incorporated in 2000 and opened in ’03, so we just celebrated our seventh year,” said Carroll.

Tom Carroll, Jr. the Crossing Vineyards and Winery’s vintner was born in 1975 and graduated from Vassar College in 1997 with a double degree in English and Film.  He subsequently lived in California for 3 years, during which he learned as much as he could about viticulture—the science, production and study of grapes—and enology—the science and study of all aspects of wine and winemaking except vine-growing and grape-harvesting.  Then he came home and, in partnership with his parents, realized his dream.

“This gives the wine a story,” said Carroll.  “And I’m interested in the story [of the wine], sometimes even more than the wine itself.

Crossing Vineyards launched its Wine Institute in September 2004 and offers a number of wine courses.

“We do a variety of things to educate people about wine,” said Carroll.  “First, we have our ‘Wine 101’, which is a 6-week course offered twice a year.  The instructor, Eric Cavatore, is French-born and educated.  It’s a great course!  It’s perfect for beginners.”

“We also have a ‘Wine-Tasting for Dummies’, which is held once a month,” said Carroll.  “My husband, Tom [Carroll, Sr.], teaches that.  He’s funny and entertaining.  There’s a lot of wine, and we offer cheese with it.  It’s always a lot of fun!”

“Then newly offered, in the spring of 2010, is our ‘A Tasting Tour of Spain’, a course on Spanish wine,” said Carroll.  “It’s very popular [,too]!”

“And new this winter will be our ‘Pairing Wine with Dessert’,” said Carroll.  “Our event manager, Kate Sielski, is teaching that.  We’re going to talk about what kinds of wine to serve with desserts.  In this struggling economy, people might have a dessert and wine party instead of a dinner party.  A dessert and wine party makes a lovely presentation and is less costly and less work.  Kate organizes our events and is very knowledgeable about food, wine, and entertaining, so she’s the perfect one to teach this.”

Pennsylvania Grapes Make Delicious Wines

 “The more people know about wine, the more open they are to wine from Pennsylvania,” said Carroll.

“In the summer of ’08, we opened our wine and cheese store (Crossing Vineyards Wine and Cheese Shop) in the Mohegan Sun Casino [at Pocono Downs],” said Carroll.  “Table gaming has been approved recently in Pennsylvania, and the casino’s been there for awhile, but there’s a new building.  We’re beginning to see more interest there.  We don’t have the emphasis on wine and cheese pairing at our main location that we have at Mohegan, although we do sell cheese at the winery.”

“Four times a year, we hold winemakers’ dinners,” said Carroll.  “These are 5-course meals.  This year, between Christmas and New Year’s, on December 28^th, we will hold a winemaking dinner called ‘A Colonial Christmas’, with special guest speaker ‘General George Washington’.  Washington will be talking about colonial Christmas traditions and will bring a few of his military men.  These events are ‘first come, first served’, and sadly [for many who are interested in attending] they sell out quickly.”  For more information, see the Web site at www.crossingvineyards.com.

“People like to taste and drink wine, but they also like to learn [about wine],” said Carroll.  “We’re very passionate about it, and I think that’s why they come back.”

“Since we’ve been making the wine, the thing that I enjoy the most is the different cultures, learning about geography, and the meeting people,” said Carroll.  “Every year it’s a brand new thing.  It’s just fascinating!  It’s interesting to me that an agricultural product can lead to all that.”

“[The release of the Le Nouveau wine] is a very festive time!” said Carroll.  To join in the festivities, head out to the celebration at the Crossing Vineyards and Winery this weekend.

*   Photos of the Vineyards and Winery are "Courtesy of Crossing Vineyards & Winery"
** Photo of the Jazz Ensemble is "Courtesy of the Karen Rodriquez Latin Jazz Ensemble"

© 2010 by Catherine J. Barrier.  All rights reserved.

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra Comes to Town, Bringing Hope and Christmas Spirit through Music—and So Much More

By Catherine J. Barrier

With our busy lives and the weakened economy, some find it difficult to remain positive much less get into the Christmas spirit, but that should be easier to do in Philadelphia in just a few days, when the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) comes to town.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra
on Stage at Christmas time
Photo by Mark Weiss

“It’s a very active, intense show!” said Steve Jimmo from Malvern, PA, who, with his wife Cindy, has attended the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s winter concerts in Philadelphia, at the same venue, for the past several years.

“The first thing I’d like to say about the Trans-Siberian Orchestra is that the music and the different voices are incredible!” said Cindy Jimmo.  “They have some of the best songs you’ve ever heard.  [In past shows we attended,] the narrator’s voice in the first part [of the show], … he has a very engaging voice.  [And the Orchestra’s members] were playing the instruments and moving all over the stage; it was so ‘cool’ to watch!”

“The first part of the show is Christmas Eve & Other Stories, and then in the second part, we play strait numbers [of other works] or previews of music we’re working on; for example, Romanov, Gutter Ballet, Night Castle, or Beethoven’s Last Night,” said Derek Wieland, one of the musical directors and a keyboardist with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  “Those last pieces are from the show that’s usually done in the spring.  But we always bring new things into the first part [the Christmas part] of the show.  There’s always something new.”

“In the shows (concerts), there is narration, original music, classical music, blues, . . . there’s something for everybody in the show,” said Wieland.

“There [are] no second-class seats at a Trans-Siberian Orchestra show,” said Paul O’Neill, TSO’s founder, producer, and head composer and lyricist.  “I want people to walk out of our shows speechless and . . . still not believing what they have seen was possible.”

On Saturday, November 20^th, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra will be appearing for two performances—at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.—at the Wells Fargo Center (formerly the Wachovia Center), located at 3601 Broad Street, in Philadelphia (19148).  Tickets: $25, $36.50, $47.50, and $59 (plus processing fees).  For tickets, or for more information, please see www.comcastTIX.com , call 1-(800)-298-4200, or visit the Wells Fargo Center Box Office at the Center.

“The first part of the show was telling a story about Christmas, and the story they [told was] poignant and moving, a real lesson for all,” said Cindy Jimmo.

A Sample of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Pyrotechnics
Photo by Mark Weiss

“[Both parts of the show] had very unique pyrotechnics, with the fire changing colors,” said Steve Jimmo.  “When you’re sitting near the stage [on the lower section], you can feel the heat on your face, the heat from the colored flames.  We were just about at stage level, but I’m sure that even those in the back could feel it.  And at one point, it started snowing in the audience, and you could feel the cold in the room.”

“There were several stages, on several levels, probably being raised and lowered on cabled motors, and [the musicians] take turns moving around from one [stage] to another.” said Steve Jimmo.  “And so, the lighting was above, raised up, and then lowered.  The lights were constantly moving [, too].”

“All the time I’m watching [the show], my mouth is just open in awe,” said Cindy Jimmo.  “Sometimes you don’t know where to look. Your eyes are constantly moving; they aren’t just on the stage.  You find yourself looking everywhere, just enjoying what’s going on.  You’re listening to the music, but [the concert] is so much more than that!”

TSO's Founder, Paul O'Neill
Photo by Mark Weiss

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra was founded in 1996 by Paul O’Neill.  At the time, O’Neill, a prolific writer and producer originally from New York City, had already been in the music industry for decades.  His music is inspired by a myriad of diverse musical groups, genres, and artists: Yes, Queen, Broadway musicals, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Harry Chapin, The Who, Jim Croce, Pink Floyd, and Classical music, just to name a few.  O’Neill played in high school rock bands and played folk guitar in clubs.  He was a guitarist on a tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and then with a production of Hair.  He has worked with a well-known management company (Leber-Krebs, Inc.), and has been a major rock promoter in Japan and a promoter of the biggest rock festivals in the industry.

In 1996, after having produced some of Savatage’s recorded work, O’Neill formed the core of TSO with Robert Kinkel, a former music student at and graduate of Hamilton College who went on to work as an assistant engineer on productions for artists such as The Who, The Police, Genesis, and Savatage (with Paul O’Neill), and Jon Oliva, a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who founded the rock band Savatage in Tampa in 1981.  Al Pitrelli, a former student at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, who recorded and toured with groups such as Alice Cooper, Asia, and Megadeth and is considered one of the most innovative guitarists of our time, joined Savatage in the mid-1990s, working with Paul O’Neill.  He later joined the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, completing the 4-member team of co-composers for the group.

“That collaboration [of Paul, Jon, Robert, and Al] is such a seamless one,” said Wieland.  “They bring different backgrounds and styles, and that gives so much creative force to the records and the show.”

“Al goes way back and brings an extraordinary dimension to the shows and the recordings,” said Wieland.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Stage
Photo by Mark Weiss

 “I wanted to take the very best of all the forms of music I grew up on and merge them into a new style,” O’Neill says.  “Basically I was building on the work of everybody I worshipped; the rock opera parts from bands like The Who; the marriage of classical rock from bands like Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Queen; the over-the-top light show from bands like Pink Floyd . . . I always wanted to do a full rock opera with a full progressive band and at least 18 lead singers.”

“I’ve always believed that music has the power to transport and transform,” said O’Neill.  “The original concept of Trans-Siberian Orchestra was how to make music have the most emotional impact.”

“The whole idea was to create a progressive rock band that would push the boundaries further than any group before, . . .” said O’Neill.

“Basically, I met the guys about 8 years ago and started playing [with them], and I was very thrilled to be a part of this,” said Derek Wieland.

“Paul’s vision is really amazing!” said Wieland.  “His stories are interpreted through the visuals and the music.  And he’s really able to bring people together.  We have this combination of people from diverse [musical] backgrounds—at the top of their craft—and we’re able to do this together.  It’s really exciting!”

“Paul is always developing new stories; for example, the recent Romanov, and we’re in the recording studio in between concerts,” said Wieland.

“Paul is very inspired by history, ideals, and the positive message of hope,” said Wieland.  “What’s really important to the band is the message of hope.”

“I think that the story in the show—the Christmas show—[is why our shows are really successful],” said Wieland.  “There’s something in it that reaches people at a deep level and gives them hope.  Many keep coming back to the concerts every year.  It’s a combination of the show and the music.  There’s something special there.”



TSO's Artistic Director & Keyboardist Derek Wieland
Photo by Bob Carey

 “[What I enjoy most about being involved with TSO], it’s working with Paul and the musicians and singers,” said Wieland.  There’s a thrill to performing on that stage and working with people at this level.  It’s a wonderful experience.  I love it all!  It’s hard to pin it down.  There’s so much in the show.  I have fun doing it—those moments on stage, feeling that feedback.  And there’s the reaction from the fans to some parts [of the show].  It thrills you!”

“[Each time we’ve gone to see them], they’ve said ‘This (Philadelphia) is where we got our start, and we’ll always be here’, said Cindy Jimmo.  “That makes the audience go wild.”

Trans-Siberian Orchestra is most famous for its critically acclaimed concerts, which take up to 15 hours to set up and combine elements from classical, orchestral, symphonic, progressive, hard rock, and heavy metal music.  These incredible concerts have full orchestra, choirs, massive light shows, pyrotechnics, moving “stages”, and lasers—and charity work.

“We normally donate $1.00 per ticket sold to a local charity,” said Wieland.  “There are different [charities] chosen for every town.  We present the check(s) to the charities at the beginning of the show.”  The concert presenting area radio stations normally choose which local charities become the recipients of these checks, as they are more familiar with the area.  For the Philadelphia shows, B101 will be presenting the 3:00 p.m. show and WMGL the 8:00 p.m. show.

“We like to put out our appreciation to the military [, too],” said Wieland.  “That’s something we do at every show.

“And we’re very aware of the times, and that’s one reason we have tickets starting at $25.00,” said Wieland.

The winter Christmas tour is among these incredible concerts and includes music from TSO’s Christmas Trilogy Box Set (2005).  The Christmas Trilogy contains Christmas Eve & Other Stories (1996)—which went double platinum, The Christmas Attic (1998), and The Lost Christmas Eve (2004).  Their other albums to date are Beethoven’s Last Night (2000) and Night Castle (2009).  The Orchestra has also released a DVD, with the Christmas Trilogy Box Set: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve, a presentation of their 1999 TV special.

TSO first began touring in 1999—in Philadelphia.  Today, it consists of 2 touring groups: TSO East and TSO West, which each tour and perform TSO’s Christmas-themed music from the beginning of November through the first week in January. 

One of the songs on Christmas Eve & Other Stories, TSO’s debut album, is “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24”.  Perhaps one of TSO’s most-known works, the song is actually a former Savatage piece (from their 1995 concept album Dead Winter Dead).  Paul O’Neill realized at an early age that Christmas is a special day, a day when people tend to be kinder, more compassionate, to one another.  This kindness, or compassion, can be seen on the streets at Christmastime, and even historically, sometimes when during times of war, members of opposing armies have been reported to have ceased fighting on Christmas Eve—and on occasion have even shared a peaceful Christmas meal together before resuming the fighting the following day. This fact was the inspiration behind “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24”, one of the most requested radio songs at Christmastime.  The song tells a story of hope amidst the bombing of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War.  The orchestra represents one side in the war and the rock band the other.  The single cello represents one individual attempting to spark hope in the living spirit of humanity despite the war going on.

To date, TSO has sold more than 7 million albums and played to more than 7 million people in over 80 cities.  During its 2009 Winter Tour alone, TSO played to more than 1.2 million fans.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Known for its Rock Operas
Photo by Mark Weiss

Night Castle, Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s newest, 2-CD album, produced by Paul O’Neill, was released on October 27, 2009 and debuted at #5 on the Billboard Charts.  By the end of last year, it was certified gold.  A rock opera, it was years in the making and contains 26 songs in a wide range of musical genres, spanning from rock to classical.  Its content covers various points in human history and reveals the successes and follies of man.  At its core, however, the work is an epic focusing on transformation and love.  The Orchestra is currently recording its next album, but it is uncertain when that will be completed.

“[Night Castle] is Paul’s vision; he’s always writing, and we develop the shows and the albums that interpret those shows,” said Wieland.  “We’re always evolving.”

“I feel lucky,” said O’Neill, “that we get to do what we love for a living.  The arts have incredible power, and with that comes incredible responsibility.  Someone once said that if you want to change the world, [ . . . ] write a book, write a great song.  I believe in that, and that’s what Trans-Siberian Orchestra is about.”

“When someone goes to a TSO concert, we don’t want them to walk away saying ‘that was a great show’ or ‘that was worth it’ or even ‘that was the best show I’ve seen in a long time’.  We want them to say, ‘Man, that was the best show ever; we just ripped that band off’,” said O’Neill.

“I had one of their CDs, but, actually, our neighbor’s sister told us about [the TSO concerts], and we went one year,” said Steve Jimmo.  “We’ve gone back every year since because it’s just so great!”

“[The show] really gets you into the Christmas spirit,” said Cindy Jimmo.  “With the way the world is today, it’s hard to get into the Christmas spirit, but they get you into it.”

“It’s kind of a show for the whole family,” said Steve Jimmo.  “I remember seeing people of all ages there.”

“It doesn’t matter where you sit—on the side, up top, on the floor; there isn’t a bad seat in the place for this show,” said Steve Jimmo.

“No one gets up; no one moves [during the concert],” said Cindy Jimmo.  “It’s too interesting!”

“Yeah, they keep you on the edge of your seat,” said Steve Jimmo.

To get into the Christmas spirit, or just to have a phenomenal concert experience, don’t miss the Trans-Siberian Orchestra when it comes to our area.

* Photo credits as marked.  All photos used with permission.

© 2010 by Catherine J. Barrier.  All rights reserved.