Ruth Eckerd Hall Hosts Children’s Holiday Concert

What better way to begin the Christmas season than with a thousand-plus school children listening with excitement to the Florida Orchestra at the 29th Annual Children’s Holiday Concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Fla., on Tuesday, December 12, 2017.

John Wilson was the host of the program; He and his wife Mary K. Wilson also sang several Christmas songs, and led the audience in singing some of the favorite melodies of the season.

Yankee great Tino Martinez read Clement Clarke Moore’s “Twas the night before Christmas” to the children, many of whom quoted the 1822 poem as Martinez read it.

Members of the Ballet Theatre International performed with the orchestra, whose guest conductor was Robert Romanski.

Of course St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus, made his appearance too.

The concert is presented each year by the George Steinbrenner family and the New York Yankees.