Holiday Cheer at Music Sandwiched In
written by Laura Clare Thevenet
The halls of the library were buzzing with excitement, alive with the chatter of more than 80 elementary students and additional community members. The kids were all sitting neatly in rows, lining either side of the hallway, patiently waiting for the doors to be opened.
Nearly 23 years ago, the Spartanburg Philharmonic partnered with the Spartanburg County Public Library to implement Music Sandwiched In (MSI), a free lunch and learn opportunity for the community to experience quality, live musical performances. The performances are welcome to the public every other Wednesday from 12:15 PM-1:00 PM in the library’s Barrett Community Room. Attendees can buy lunch there or bring their own.
Today was no ordinary Music Sandwiched In. Today was special. In preparation for The Snowman and Other Holiday Favorites, the Spartanburg Philharmonic teamed up with Hub City Writers Project to give away 100 copies of the beloved book The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. In addition to the giveaway, Hub City Bookshop Events and Marketing Manager Rebecca Arrowsmith did a special reading of the book before the performance.
Each student’s face lit up in delight when they received their very own copy of the book. They filed in and sat eagerly on the floor in front of Rebecca to listen to the story. Fifteen minutes before the performance time, the little community room was filled to the brim. From the students from Cleveland Academy of Leadership, several other schools in the Spartanburg area, to countless community members, the people in attendance seemed to exceed the room’s capacity of 180 people.
For a reading of a wordless book, it was received rather enthusiastically. The kids were fully engaged and would chime in here and there when prompted by Rebecca. The beautiful illustrations lead the listeners through the famous work of fiction, but to the kids, the magic was real. Their sense of wonder was infectious.
After the reading, the room’s excitement carried over into the performance. The Sparkle City Harptet took centerstage, sitting behind four beautifully ornate harps, each topped with a little Santa hat. The first pluck of the strings had the entire room in awe. The harp always has a way of magically wrapping around every inch of a room.
Popular holiday songs like “Jingle Bells,” “Carol of the Bells,” and pieces from The Nutcracker delighted the crowd, but the encore of “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” is what stole the show. As soon as the kids recognized it, they started singing the familiar tune in unison; although, after the second or third verse, they began singing the same lyrics over and over again. Nevertheless, the sing-along was pure joy.
Music Sandwiched In is the perfect space to bring people together from every part of the community to learn and experience live music in fellowship. The Spartanburg Philharmonic firmly believes that orchestral music should be accessible and relatable to everyone, and this MSI was truly the perfect demonstration of that notion.
Our special thanks to the talented musicians of the Sparkle City Harptet - Kela Walton, Erin Hansen, Anna Grace Bennett, and Lydia Alleman - for bringing holiday cheer to Music Sandwiched In and to our audience and friends for your support of our mission. Happy Holidays to you all!
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Laura Clare Thevenet is the Communications Coordinator for the Spartanburg Philharmonic. In addition to her work at the Philharmonic, Laura-Clare has studied guitar and voice for 10 years and is a freelance musician and singer-songwriter.