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PROVO — Mayor John Curtis and his staff at the city of Provo want you to have a merry and musical Christmas.
The city brought together musicians, local businesses and music and film producers to create its Provo Christmas Concerts — a series of filmed performances of Christmas music by local bands and musicians.
Monday, the city released its first video of the project on YouTube, “The First Noel,” shot in The Underground and featuring 17-year-old “The Voice” contestant Madilyn Paige on vocals and Stephen Nelson on the keyboard. It is the first of 11 mini-concerts filmed in downtown Provo businesses.
The videos will be released one a day over the next couple weeks, and a CD of all the audio recordings will be sold at various downtown businesses.
“The videos are free and they’re our gift to the world,” Curtis said.
The concerts have a philanthropic aim, as well. All the proceeds from the $10 CDs will be donated to the local United Way chapter’s Sub for Santa program — a motivation for some artists, like Ryan Innes, to contribute.
“It’s just fun to be able to do something that I already would love to do — a video, singing — but also have it benefit those that need it at this time of year. All the way around, it’s just a great thing to be a part of,” Innes said.
The Underground, Block 100 Antiques, and Pioneer Book, among other businesses, provided the space for recording, sometimes for half a day, Curtis said. Taste, a new food boutique on University Avenue, hosted Innes for his recording.
"We were happy to do it and shut down for a few hours. I know the proceeds are going to Sub for Santa, which is really important and something we've supported for a number of years in different capacities," said a Taste owner, Char Coleman. "Being able to help the community, we love being able to open up and seeing things happening in downtown Provo."
The idea snowballed from the city’s creative team wanting to highlight the local music scene in a new way, Brian Nye, creative director for the city of Provo, said. The team started by collaborating with a couple of artists and businesses for some Christmas music videos, but when Curtis got involved, he asked if they would expand it to a full-length album.
“I really love music. I’ve never been able to perform music, I’ve never been able to sing, I’ve never been able to play an instrument. But I really appreciate music,” Nye said. “So I wanted to do what I could in using some of my creative talents and working with these artists and local business owners to promote their abilities, the shopping in downtown Provo, which are pretty unique.”
The city and its residents have received recognition for its musical talent and approach to making performances accessible through efforts like the Rooftop Concert Series. Like many of these local events, the Christmas concert videos and album were the results of volunteered time and talent.
“We started doing a couple videos and the idea kept morphing and people kept volunteering,” Curtis said.
Nye said his marketing team is always looking for ways to show off the city’s multifaceted downtown, especially sides of it that are unexpected to those unfamiliar with its offerings.
“We try not to do things so flat and boring,” Nye said. “Part of our job marketing the city is to do whatever we can to show Provo in its many layers and all the unique things it has. We try to take into account on a project how we can involve and show Provo on every level.”
Innes, who sang a version of “Silent Night” for the video project and album, said he appreciates the city’s efforts to highlight its local talent.
I'm really glad that the city is doing cool stuff like this all the time, that they're reaching out and involving the local music scene and the artists who are doing things. I like being able to have that culture and camaraderie.
–Ryan Innes
“I’m really glad that the city is doing cool stuff like this all the time, that they’re reaching out and involving the local music scene and the artists who are doing things,” Innes said. “I like being able to have that culture and camaraderie.”
The project even provided a breakout opportunity for 17-year-old vocalist and musician Lexi Linford. The Christmas Concert album was her first experience recording and making a music video.
“I’m just really excited and really flattered that I have the opportunity to do this and that they thought that I was good enough to be on an album,” Linford said. “It’s just really amazing to me to be on an album with so many amazing musicians.”
Most of the cost to make CDs has been covered by sponsors, including NuSkin, Intermountain Healthcare and Zions Bank. Curtis said the city is still looking for other sponsors to defray the rest of the cost, which project members are currently covering.
“We’ll cover it ourselves if it doesn’t get covered,” Curtis said.
If all goes as planned, the city hopes to repeat the project next year, including a public performance of the music. Curtis said, however, that it’s more than just a business endeavor, and that he is personally invested in it.
“(This project) means a lot. I can’t remember being this excited about anything as I am because it’s good on so many levels,” Curtis said. “For our artists, who contribute their time, it helps promote them, and promotes this amazing music scene that we have here in Provo. On one level that’s what I’m excited about. It promotes our downtown and I’m really excited about that, and of course with our proceeds going to Sub for Santa, I’m excited about that. Kind of the trifecta of three really important things to us in Provo.”
