Rob Mathes Celebrates 30 Years Of Holiday Concerts With Three Special Shows At The Performing Arts Center At Purchase College

The Rob Mathes Holiday Concert, a holiday tradition for so many, is celebrating an amazing 30 years of performing its annual holiday extravaganza this year with three concerts at The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College.

Concerts are Friday, December 15, and Saturday, December 16, at 8:00 p.m., and a special matinee performance on Sunday, December 17, at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are available at artscenter.org, and VIP seating in the first two rows of the orchestra are available through the concert's nonprofit beneficiary, Food Rescue US - Fairfield County at bit.ly/3PTsUSF or foodrescue.us/site/food-rescue-us-fairfield-county/.

Rob Mathes is an Emmy award-winning and Grammy-nominated musician who is a Greenwich, Connecticut resident. Rob is typically the genius behind the curtain, producing albums, orchestrating, and being a sought-after music director. However, his annual holiday concert, a cherished holiday tradition in the New York City/Connecticut area for 30 years, is when he shines on center stage, much to the joy of his ardent fans.

This year's concerts hold a special place in Rob's heart. They are dedicated to Rabbi Mark Golub, a long-time supporter and cherished fan of the concerts who sadly passed away this year from cancer. Rabbi Golub's passion and enthusiasm for the concerts have left an indelible mark with his friendship and guidance to Rob over the years, and also inspired several Hanukkah-themed songs performed at the annual Holiday Concert that have become audience favorites.

"Rabbi Mark Golub was one of my musical muses when it came to including a bit of the Jewish faith into what started out as a fairly traditional Christmas Concert - and he was one of the reasons why we called it a Holiday Concert," said Rob Mathes. "Rabbi Mark Golub attended every year, and encouraged us to play long into the night. I sat down with him on numerous occasions and those conversations were the inspiration for some of my strongest songs of recent years. The Hanukkah songs I wrote in tribute to him include Light in the Window and Too Many Stars, which we'll perform this year."

"This year's concerts will be extra special," noted Rob Mathes, who has had a busy year beginning in January with Sting and The Pittsburgh Symphony, then arranging strings for Bruce Springsteen, and a performance with Elvis Costello at the Gramercy. He is just finishing a year-long project, producing Melissa Errico's sequel to her critically acclaimed Sondheim Sublime record (picked by the New York Times as one of the 10 records to listen to in the wake of Sondheim's passing). Called Sondheim In The City, it features some of New York's finest musicians and will be out in early 2024. Rob is also gearing up to musically direct the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year, the benefit gala held in Los Angeles GRAMMY week, this year honoring Jon Bon Jovi.

Rob Mathes and his Holiday Concerts are renowned for their unique take on holiday classics. The performances promise a blend of Rob's introspective singer-songwriter pop, with strong jazz and blues overtones, featuring original Rob Mathes holiday songs and classics with a signature Mathes twist. Joining Rob on stage is his all-star band, which includes Will Lee on bass, Billy Masters on guitar, Gunnar Olson on drums, Rick Knutsen on keyboard, and the incredible horn section with Jeff Kievit, Tony Kadleck, Andy Snitzer, Aaron Heick, Mike Davis, and Jeff Nelson. R&B singers James "D Train" Williams and Vaneese Thomas are also fan favorites at the concerts, and of course, there is the Choir of Saints & Friends, that bring the spirit of the holiday season to many of the songs.

"It's hard to believe I've been putting on my Holiday Concerts for 30 years," exclaimed Rob Mathes. "We started this at a church on a hill in Greenwich in 1993 and it has grown to become a holiday tradition for so many, and for that, I am eternally grateful."

Rob Mathes added, "The Performing Arts Center has become my 'home away from home' and I love coming back and taking the stage there."

In the spirit of giving, the Rob Mathes Holiday Concerts will once again, for the fourth year, support Food Rescue US - Fairfield County, a nonprofit organization that fights hunger and helps the planet.

To purchase tickets for the Rob Mathes Holiday Concert, visit artscenter.org.

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