Generations rubbed shoulders during Sunday’s Hult Center holiday show.
Presented by the Eugene Concert Choir, “A Celtic Christmas” helped people of all ages get into the holiday state of mind.
Performed in Silva Hall, the holiday show had two performances this weekend. The event combined the vocals of the 100-member Eugene
Concert Choir with the multi-talented Willis Clan who provided musical accompaniment as well as a number of other performance-centered skills.
“A Celtic Christmas” was part of an annual holiday concert that the Eugene Concert Choir performs every year. Although this year’s performance drew from very rich Celtic themes, previous performances have come from a number of holiday backgrounds.
“We do something different every year,” Diane Retallack, the artistic and executive director of the Eugene Concert Choir, said. “Sometimes
I’ve done a very classical concert, while other times I’ve done ones that hit a more popular vein.”
This year’s show had a livelier feel as the incorporation of dance and live music added to the energy that the Eugene Concert Choir was projecting.
Much of this extra energy was due in part to the front stage performances of the Willis Clan, a family of performers who traveled from Tennessee to help out with the show.
The clan, a family of musicians, dancers, writers and artists, performed a variety of music centered around a strong Irish core. With eight performers, each of the family members brought a different aspect to their collective performance. Overall it amounted to a great all-around performance, something that Retallack saw when she decided to book the clan for the concert.
“I love ballroom dance, swing dance and all types of dance,” Retallack said.  
After seeing the clan perform and win a national dance competition, Retallack instantly saw them as a perfect fit with the holiday performance.
When the curtains finally came down on Sunday’s show, the audience made it clear that Retallack had made the right decision.
Throughout the show, attendees pounded their feet and clapped their hands as members of the clan danced Irish jigs while the elder members played instruments.
At other points of the concert, the crowd listened in amazement as the group played a number of holiday classics. One point in particular, the eldest son played the Uillean pipes, a form of bagpipe, which Retallack said is a haunting instrument and piece of music.
Aside from the clan, the choir complemented every song they participated in with clear and booming vocals that brought the Christmas spirit to everyone.
[email protected]