Showing compassion to a group of travelling musicians by allowing them to your shelter in your “home” begins a delightful evening of warmth, friendship and good cheer. Through spectacular arrangements, favourite Holiday poetry and prose and a sprinkling of playful antics, Brass Rings celebrates six traditional elements of Christmas – Bells, Snow, Food, Gifts, Trees and Angels. The show is an inviting, involving experience that makes you glad that, once again, it’s Time For Christmas!
Spoken Word Selections
The Bells – Edgar Allen Poe
Sleigh Bells At Night – Elizabeth Coatsworth
Conversation About Christmas – Dylan Thomas
The More It Snows – A A Milne
Winter Morning – Ogden Nash
Stopping By A Woods On A Snowy Evening – Robert Frost
About Plum Pudding – Sandra Boyton
What’s A-Wassailing? – Sandra Boyton
Come Ride With Me To Toyland – Roweena Bennett
Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus – Francis Church
The Joy Of Giving – John Greenleaf Whittier
little tree – e e cummings
The Work Of Christmas – Howard Thurman
Music Selections
Carol of the Bells
Ding Dong! Merrily On High
Silver Bells
Sleigh Ride
Frosty The Snowman
White Christmas
Winter Wonderland
Let It Snow!
Silent Night
O Holy Night
Here We Come A-Wassailing
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
The Little Drummer Boy
Angels We Have Heard On High
Hallelujah
Carol Sing-along
Length of Show
75 minutes of music are interspersed with 20 minutes of spoken word in an engagingly theatrical manner. These combine with a 20-minute interval to give a 1 hour, 55 minute performance.
Instrumentation
Brass quintet and Organ/Piano/Keyboard
Technical Requirements
Time For Christmas has proven to be extremely adaptable, having been performed successfully in gymnasia, churches, concert halls – even a shopping mall! Inability to provide some of the following would not necessarily preclude a performance.
Atmosphere
We want the patrons’ experience of Time For Christmas to begin before they reach the venue and certainly before they enter the performance space. To achieve this, the presenter should:
if the venue has a bell, sound it for 30 minutes before the performance
make mulled cider (in open kettles to maximize fragrance) and cookies freely available to patrons before the performance and at the Interval.
Performance Space
The presenter will supply or ensure that:
the performance surface (stage) is clean and clear, measuring at least 9 meters (30 feet) wide x 6 meters (20 feet) deep
two (2) persons insured by the Presenter will assist with load-in/set-up and pack-up/load-out.
the performance space is exclusively available to Brass Rings Productions (BRP) and technical crew for set-up/rehearsal from four (4) hours prior to a performance. The space will be at concert temperature (21°C or 70°F) at this time.
six (6) sturdy chairs with a flat seat and no arms (orchestra chairs).
two (2) safe and sturdy sets of steps from audience level to stage level.
an adequate number of copies of the sing-along carols, printed from a digital file provided by Brass Rings Productions
Sound and Lights
The presenter will supply or ensure that:
a good quality sound system to amplify an electronic keyboard and spoken word, and competent personnel to operate it during set-up and performance.
a good piano in excellent tune (A440) on the stage (optional).
in performance facilities equipped with special or stage lighting, competent personnel to focus the lighting instruments and to operate the lighting systems during the set-up, rehearsal and performance.
Hospitality
The presenter will supply or ensure that:
two (2) dressing rooms for BRP’s exclusive use for a period of time commencing two (2) hours prior to a matinee performance, three (3) hours prior to an evening performance and ending one-half (0.5) hour after the completion of BRP’s activities at the facility. The dressing rooms shall be clean, private and secure for belongings of BRP personnel. They shall be located conveniently to non-public restrooms.
Watch & Listen
Sample our debut recording TIME FOR CHRISTMAS Featuring 20 arrangements from our live show, masterfully performed and recorded. With William O’Meara, organ.
Track 8 – Good King Wenceslas
Track 3 – Ding, Dong!
Track 11 – Winter Wonderland
Track 17 – The Little Drummer Boy
What They Said…
“Brass Rings has devised their own brand of schtick, using spoken word, humour, props and an all-round light-hearted good feeling. Add to that their exceptional playing, and you have an entertainment package which never flags.
Each member of the group is a very capable solo player, and the lead passed back and forth, from the highest note on the piccolo trumpet to the lowest on the tuba. The blend between Pattison’s French Horn and Henderson’s trombone was so good that you had to look to see which one was playing the melody lead.”
The Kitchener-Waterloo Record
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“Brass Rings warmed a winter night in London with an evening full of great music, good humour and the best of the season. Their performance of Time For Christmas introduced a London audience which came away completely impressed…
There were at least nine Christmas or festive-themed concerts in London that night, but there was no doubt where the best one was to be found … celebrating Time For Christmas with Brass Rings… “
James Reany, Columnist and Reporter The London Free Press
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“Our organizers have been stopped on the street all week long with positive comments from our subscribers. … the show ‘got them into the Christmas spirit’ – ‘were overwhelmed by your talented group’ – ‘never enjoyed a performance more than this one’ – ‘the best show ever!’ – … I guess the reality is that Brass Rings made the organizers of the AES heroes in our community. Thank you so very much for your superb performance. … We know that we’ll be hearing more and more about Brass Rings.”
Atikokan Entertainment Series
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“You took State College by storm.”
Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts
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“Thank you for the excellent CD of your Christmas music. Bravo to your ‘Brass Rings’! “
