If the Christmas season got off to a banging start with the tree lighting and intensive fireworks display on Friday, the holiday was elevated to a serenely beautiful level on Sunday by a concert featuring organ and brass instruments in the Templo de la Tercera.

The concert was under the aegis of Chorale San Miguel and completely underwritten by arts patrons John and Joy Bitner. That’s right, some people give fruit cakes for Christmas, the Bitners throw open the doors to an ancient church and put on a concert of mostly classical music for free.

No surprise that the musician sitting at the 1875 pipe organ was Malcolm Halliday, who discovered the organ in Massachusetts and raised funds to disassemble, refurbish, and ship it to San Miguel, where it has become a sterling centerpiece for many a concert these past few years.

Sharing the stage was the Vientos del Bajio Brass Quintet from Guanajuato. The ensemble was created in 2017, drawing from members of the Guanajuato University Symphony Orchestra.

During the afternoon concert, various quintet members stepped forward to perform compositions with Halliday, there were organ solos, and the quintet got to shine, especially on the finale, “Christmas Fantasy for Organ and Brass,” by contemporary liturgical composer Joel Raney. 

Raney’s composition weaves a touch of jazz and blues among excerpts of classics, including “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” This fits beautifully with the quintet, which was formed on a love for chamber music but also blues and jazz.

Just prior to the Fantasy, the quintet frollicked through a seasonal pop classic, Albert Hague’s “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Dr. Seuss would have loved it.

The balance of the program was an exploration of Romantic and Baroque organ and brass creations, spanning the late 1500s through the early 20th century, from composers Gabrieli, Vivaldi, Pachelbel, Saint-Saens, Dvorak, Holst, and more.

Some were composed with this season in mind. Others just seemed to fit the many textures of the holiday season. Halliday’s solos were mostly gentle and reflective interpretations, just right for the times.

Not a soul left that standing room-only venue feeling anything less than elevated in spirit and conviviality. What a gift to us all!