Monday, December 17, 2012

Multimedia, Multicultural Christmas with Mannheim Steamroller


Roving Pittsburgher Review 

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas

by Good News Reporter, Joanne Quinn-Smith aka TechnoGranny



If you were a first timer showing up at the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Concert at the Benedum Center on December 11 or 12 looking for traditional Christmas Carols played by an orchestra, well you got a pleasant surprise.  This was like no other concert I have ever been to.  Just the level of talent and diversity of instruments of each member of the group was truly inspirational. 
The multimedia presentation behind the music was revolutionary in its ability to keep the audience’s mind planted solely on the theme for each rendition.  The comments after the show on the way out were, “Where were all of those sounds coming from?”   I mean the wind instrument echoed a choir and it was a bit confusing when you didn’t see one on stage or on the screen behind it. We sat in a row with a young couple who had five girls with them aging from 6 to 11 and they were as spellbound as the adults.


With 19 gold, 8 multi platinum and 4 platinum albums it is easy to see why they are the number one Christmas artists in the world.  Their music is not only multigenerational but multicultural.  The combination of renaissance instruments with rock and roll is nothing short of genius.  With the entire holiday whirl I was considering not attending when my 30 year old son told me that it was Rock n Roll Christmas and I would thank him for convincing to take my tired 63 year old body to the concert.  Yes, thank you, thank you, Buddy.  It was more than Rock n Roll Christmas it was a heavenly, inspirational combination of sights and sounds not long to be forgotten.  Audience members told me that seeing Mannheim Steamroller has become a family tradition.


There are no words in English or any other language to capture not so much the performance but the audience experience.  But these come to mind, Bravissimo!  Ersten Klasse!  Prima! And Ecnore!  Both the performance and the experience left the audience wanting more.  It was also a nice touch that the orchestra members were available for a meet and great additional audience experience for interaction and autographs after the show.  Manheim Steamroller is truly the people’s Christmas orchestra—all of the people.


N.B. The Roving Pittsburgher Report are reviews of events around the city of Pittsburgh by average people in theaudience from various walks of life, not professional reviewers but semiprofessional attendees.  Good news reporters who are tourists in their hometown.


Radio Host and Serial Blogger, Joanne Quinn-Smith is the host of PositivelyPittsburghLive™ Internet Talkcast and TechnoGrannyShow™  On her shows, Joanne has interviewed over 1800 guests.  As an advocate for small Business, she was awarded the National Small Business Administration Journalist of the Year Award.  She is also the publisher of PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com which is a 2010 National Stevie Award finalist for best Media Website or Blog. PPL Mag features the GOOD NEWS, about Pittsburgh  and is  Pittsburgh’s First internet radio and TV network. PPL Mag attracted 2.25 million visitors last year.  Her radio network has accumulated over one million listeners. The Creative Energy Officer of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates, Joanne also teaches her online media platform building to small businesses in a client personalized, “Web2.0 Gorilla Branding Training™”.  Connect with Joanne at:  http://joannequinnsmith.com

No comments:

Post a Comment