STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Grinch didn’t steal Christmas. But he did steal the show at the Wood River Orchestra’s 2024 Holiday Concert at The Argyros.

The fuzzy green Grinch relieved Conductor Brad Hershey of his conducting duties as the Wood River Orchestra presented a fast-paced energetic concert full of familiar tunes.

The Grinch grimaced and scowled and, yet, somehow the orchestra got through the popular Christmas tune “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

Brad Hershey added many more—smaller—snowballs to his snowball cache this year.

The lively concert kept the audience on their toes as Hershey tossed snowballs around the concert hall and decided to pop a cork on a bottle of exceedingly fine champagne in the middle of the concert.

And, in between all the malarkey, orchestra members played on through a couple of different Christmas medleys and through the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” and “Waltz of the Flowers,” made all the layered by the addition of R.L. Rowsey’s magical keyboards that added the sounds of a harp, a glockenspiel and other instruments to the mix.

Just having Rowsey there was a Christmas miracle, considering he came running in from having directed a Caritas Chorale holiday concert and was taking off afterwards to take part in “A Christmas Carol: A Musical.”

“But I’m having so much fun,” he said, a twinkle in his eye.”

Orchestra members and patrons donated a variety of silent auction items, including this Holiday Bird Cage to raise funds for the Wood River Orchestra’s music, concert and rehearsal venues, programs, guest musicians and concert master compensation.

Numerous musicians decked themselves and their instruments out in holiday fashion.

Musicians play “A Minor Holiday Celebration,” which was in the minor key.