The 12 Days Before Christmas Online Concert Experience!

12 Days, 12 Songs, 6 Amazing Artists

It’s Christmas! And you have been so good that Santa has brought you 12 musical gifts. Click on any gift to view a Holiday Song Video performed by a group of talented elfs. Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours.

If you enjoyed our Christmas experience, we would love to hear from you. Send us a message.

The Artists

Do you hear what I hear? I hear a host of talented keyboard artists such as Craig Knudsen, Tom Folenta, Dan Rodowicz, Jim Levesque and Tom Zink, with special guest vocalist Anne Walsh. Each will be performing a mix of exciting arrangements based on traditional Christmas favorites. We asked each artist to offer some thoughts and insight as they prepare to take center stage inside the screen of your smartphone…

TOM FOLENTA
Yamaha Artist, Product Specialist, President of Link-to-Learn Music and Music Dealer Web Kit

“This was an enjoyable project for me, because I got a chance to play some of my personal favorites.... Read more »

DAN RODOWICZ
General Manager - Keyboard Division, Yamaha Corporation of America and Organist, Oakland Athletics

“I've known Tom since 1976 and we have had lots of fun musical journeys together, including several fun-filled Clavinova... Read more »

TOM ZINK
Yamaha Artist, Jazz Pianist and Composer

"Greensleeves/What Child is this?"  is probably one of the most performed and know of the Christmas songs... Read more »

CRAIG KNUDSEN
Yamaha Artist, Software Developer & Marketing Consultant

“When Tom approached me with this project, I immediately said "yes". Tom and I have worked together for... Read more »

JIM LEVESQUE
Marketing Operations Manager, Yamaha Corporation of America

"I was extremely excited when Tom told me about this project! And I can't wait for Christmas Day... Read more »

ANNE WALSH
Jazz Vocalist

“Walsh’s vocals inject rays of light into somber and melancholic arrangements tooling a fluidity that is... Read more »

Program Schedule

Introducing an exciting online Christmas Concert experience titled “The Twelve Days before Christmas.” The music is performed by a team of talented Yamaha artists on a mix of amazing Yamaha products — featuring the CVP600/700 series Clavinova, AvantGrand Hybrid Piano and the Disklavier Piano.

Christmas Concert – Song Selections

  1. Dec.14 - Deck The Halls – Performed by Craig Knudsen
  2. Dec.15 - Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus / O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Performed by Dan Rodowicz
  3. Dec.16 - Silent Night – Performed by Tom Folenta
  4. Dec.17 - Angels We Have Heard On High - Craig Knudsen
  5. Dec.18 - We Three Kings - Tom Folenta
  6. Dec.19 - What Child Is This? - Tom Zink
  7. Dec.20 - Away In A Manger - Jim Levesque
  8. Dec.21 - Do You Hear What I Hear? - Dan Rodowicz
  9. Dec.22 - Carol Of The Bells - Tom Folenta
  10. Dec.23 - Nutcracker Suite Medley - Craig Knudsen
  11. Dec.24 - O, Holy Night - Anne Walsh & Tom Zink
  12. Dec.25 - Joy To The World - Tom Folenta


 

The Instruments

With the CVP Series Clavinova, you not only get the authentic sound, touch and look of a grand piano, you also get a vast array of advanced features only a digital piano can offer. If you want the gleaming beauty of a traditional grand with the versatility of a leading-edge digital piano, you've found it.

A new identity for the piano, born from the fusion of twenty-first century technology and more than a century of piano-crafting experience. The blissful moment when you and the piano resonate as one... is here.

Disklavier is the modern day version of the "player piano." Disklavier pianos are true acoustic pianos that incorporate fiber optic sensing systems, high performance solenoids, and state-of-the-art computer technology. These pianos can very accurately record piano performances and play back with all of the expression and nuance of the original performance.

CRAIG KNUDSEN
Yamaha Artist, Software Developer & Marketing Consultant

“When Tom approached me with this project, I immediately said "yes". Tom and I have worked together for over two decades and have introduced untold numbers of Clavinovas for Yamaha throughout the country.  I think Tom and I work so well with each other because we compliment each others playing styles so completely. Knowing how brilliantly "crazy" Tommy is in his arrangements, I thought I would take a different approach and think more "inside the box" and implement a unique technology of the Clavinova called CueTime.  Working with mega arranger and composer Phillip Keveren, we chose the Nutcracker melodies,  who arrangements are very traditional,  but untraditional in that the background arrangements WAIT FOR ME - as a result, look carefully how I am controlling the tempo of the backgrounds, putting me in complete control of the music that comes out of the Clavinova. Iits almost as though there are small little Christmas presents waiting for me under each and every key.  Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!”

TOM FOLENTA
Yamaha Artist, Product Specialist, President of Link-to-Learn Music and Music Dealer Web Kit

“This was an enjoyable project for me, because I got a chance to play some of my personal favorites. It brought me back to when I was a kid, as Christmas songs often do. Because these classics have been played so many times, I really had fun using the technology of the Clavinova to help me arrange them in new "out of the box" styles. I worked up “Carol of the Bells” in free piano and Latin samba style. That was a blast, especially with the Latin vocal sound on the Clavinova. I also had the extreme pleasure of playing a solo piano arrangement of “We Three Kings” on the amazing AvantGrand Piano.

“On a personal note…when you start a new project, especially a creative concept project like this one — it can only come together when you have a great team of talent supporting your efforts. With this in mind, this project was also a wonderful reminder of how blessed I am to have such great friends. I would like to add a special heartfelt thank you to Craig, Dan, Tom, Anne and Jim for sharing the gift of their music. From all of us to all of you, thanks for joining our 12 Days Before Christmas Concert event — wishing you and your family a warm and wonderful holiday.”

—Elf Tommy

TOM ZINK
Yamaha Artist, Jazz Pianist and Composer

"Greensleeves/What Child is this?"  is probably one of the most performed and know of the Christmas songs for a reason. A very memorable melody and rich harmonic structure gives a player much to work with.  I started with a slightly more traditional approach, and moved into a more modern arrangement to take advantage of some small part of the song's flexibility.  "Oh Holy Night" has an equally rich history, and for this arrangement I decided to run against the grain of huge orchestral arrangements and simplify as much as possible allowing the arc of the music (and lyrics) to dictate how big the song gets.  Hoping this music is a blessing to you in this Christmas season. 

DAN RODOWICZ
Western Regional Manager, Yamaha Corporation of America and Organist, Oakland Athletics

"I've known Tom since 1976 and we have had lots of fun musical journeys together, including several fun-filled Clavinova introduction tours.  He is always creating and when he told me about this project, I thought it would be a blast to be a part of it.  The two songs that I will be playing are actually arrangements that I did a few years ago for my church's Christmas concerts, adapted for the Clavinova.  "Do You Hear What I Hear" is done with a Latin Jazz twist.  The medley of "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus / O Come, O Come Emmanuel" takes two songs originally written in two different meters and superimposes them. I hope you enjoy these arrangements!  Merry Christmas!

JIM LEVESQUE
Disklavier Marketing Manager, Yamaha Corporation of America

"I was extremely excited when Tom told me about this project! And I can't wait for Christmas Day when all of the "piano presents" have been opened and I can enjoy an outstanding concert from this incredible group of musicians! No Christmas song is more loved by young and old alike than "Away in a Manger." This tender children's carol, for some time was titled "Luther's Cradle Hymn" since it was thought to have been written by Martin Luther for his own children and then passed on by German mothers. Modern research discounts this claim, however. I chose this hymn because it offers a wealth of opportunities for reharmonization. I hope you like it, and wish you and yours a blessed Christmas!

ANNE WALSH
Jazz Vocalist

"Walsh’s vocals inject rays of light into somber and melancholic arrangements tooling a fluidity that is soothing and natural. She has a graceful stride that brings out the beauty in these tracks, and the melodies seem to embrace the warmth that she provides.. 'Pretty World' is perfectly tailored to Anne’s register and philosophy about life, and is very persuasive in converting others to follow along her path. Her vocals have a graceful stride that brings out the beauty in these tracks, and the melodies seem to embrace the warmth that she provides.”
Susan Frances - Jazz Times