Greenwich Native Rob Mathes Preparing For Upcoming Annual Holiday Concert

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich native and Greenwich High School graduate Rob Mathes, an Emmy Award-winning and Grammy-nominated musician, composer, arranger and producer, is preparing for his annual holiday concert at The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College on Dec. 20-21.

The Rob Mathes Holiday Concert was founded in 1993. The concert began as a fundraiser for Food for the Hungry and later supported Food Rescue, while also providing an opportunity for Mathes to perform locally.

"It’s not the holidays until the Rob Mathes Concert happens. He is my Mr. Christmas," said longtime collaborator Vanessa Williams, according to a news release.

"The holidays have always been a time for remarkable music and some of the most beloved and timeless pieces were written for this time of year. Consider Handel’s 'Messiah.' Tchaikovsky’s 'Nutcracker Suite' and Duke Ellington’s astonishing version of the 'Nutcracker,' and carols like 'In the Bleak Midwinter' and 'Silent Night,'" said Mathes in a news release.

"The Holiday Concert is my opportunity to gather brilliant and blessed musical friends together to make and perform great music, be it Bob Dylan’s 'Ring Them Bells,' my own 'William the Angel,' or 'O Holy Night.' The story of the Manger, innocence coming into the world to save it, and Hanukkah, the saving of the temple by Judah and the lamp that burned against all odds – these are extraordinarily moving stories. It is a time of mystery, beauty, love and magic."

This year’s concert will feature a six-piece horn section, bass guitarist Will Lee of the former "Late Show with David Letterman" band, gospel vocalists D-Train and Vaneese Thomas, and a 40-member choir. The program will also include music written for Philadelphia Orchestra concertmaster David Kim, who will perform alongside a string quartet led by Jonathan Dinklage, concertmaster for Broadway’s "Hamilton."

Mathes' career in the music industry spans over 40 years. His work has ranged across genres and artists, from Luciano Pavarotti to contemporary pop and rock acts. Mathes' credits include collaborations with Tony Bennett, George Michael, Elton John, Lin-Manuel Miranda, U2, John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma and Beyoncé, among others. He has worked extensively with Sting, including co-writing a song that plays continuously in the Sistine Chapel, and continues to collaborate with Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco.

Mathes recently released a deluxe remastered 25th anniversary double-vinyl edition of his album "Evening Train."

Sting has referred to Mathes as his "lion" in the studio, while Bruce Springsteen called him a "secret weapon" for his work on Springsteen’s album "Only the Strong Survive" and the film and recording "Western Stars."

Urie has cited Mathes as one of his mentors and asked him to write original orchestrations for Panic! at the Disco’s Las Vegas concert. More recently, Mathes worked on a string orchestration for Sabrina Carpenter for an upcoming Muppets film.

Following the holiday performances, Mathes will travel to Europe to work with Sting on the re-launch of "The Last Ship," which earned Mathes Tony and Drama Desk nominations for best orchestrations in 2015.

Tickets for The Rob Mathes Holiday Concert are available at www.robmathes.com. More information about Mathes and his work is available on Instagram at @robmathes.music.