Geneva's Steeple Walk blends music, faith
Christmas music soared to the rafters of four downtown Geneva churches Sunday afternoon during the annual Steeple Walk.
The event showcased the talent of local musicians, a variety of musical styles and the outstanding acoustics of the church sanctuaries.
People walked carefully on ice-covered sidewalks from St. Mark's Episcopal Church to the Geneva Lutheran Church, then to the First Church of Christ Scientist and finally to the Unitarian Church of Geneva.
At St. Mark's, flutist Susan Conant and guitarist Conor Mackey, both of St. Charles, performed original music and traditional favorites. Conant told the audience a fairy tale about a flute-playing princess who goes on a series of adventures, interjecting the sounds of her Irish tin whistle to move the story along.
"For me, it's all about the music," Conant said after her performance. "The story is a medium to present the music."
The Fox Valley Children's Chorus provided an angelic feel to the holiday season with a concert featuring the young people's vocal harmonies at the Lutheran church.
The Batavia-based group is composed of an Apprentice Choir for children in grades two to four, and a Concert Choir for students through the age of 15. The two choirs performed independently and then combined for a finale.
At the Christian Science church, mandolin player Dave Erickson of Sugar Grove and guitarist Moro Kawabata of Japan provided folk and bluegrass interpretations of favorites like "White Christmas" and "Silver Bells."
Finally, singer Margaret Carlson of Batavia brought her smoky jazz stylings to the Unitarian church, with the feel of a nightclub to close out the tour.
The Grammy-nominated vocalist was accompanied by Scott Stevenson on piano and Randy Henry on bass.
The trio's take on Christmas numbers ranging from the traditional "What Child is This?" to the popular "Let It Snow" featured Carlson's unique vocal phrasings and allowed Stevenson and Henry to take instrumental excursions.
The wide range of musical interpretations that can be wrong from a single tune was in evidence as Conant, Erickson and Carlson each performed the traditional English carol "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as part of the tour.
Each group of performers on the tour was well-matched to the size and character of the church sanctuaries where they played.
The Lutheran church's high, arched ceilings and decorative surroundings were the perfect setting for the children's choir, while Erickson's folksy style resonated in the small, unadorned Christian Science church.
Now in its fourth year, the Steeple Walk is sponsored by the Geneva Forum for Arts and Education. Organizers said tickets for Sunday's tour had sold out.