By Ann Mintz, Reading Terminal Market

Reading Terminal Market celebrated the winter holidays throughout the month of December with an unprecedented seven performances: six scheduled, and one popup.

The festivities began on Saturday, December 6 with a popup performance by the Philadelphia Freedom Band. The Freedom Band is comprised of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and straight people who love to play music in large and small ensembles. A uniformed drummer began the performance, walking through the crowded aisles of the busy market playing an assortment of snares, a sprig of holly tucked in her jaunty cap. She was joined in Center Court by a dozen brass players for a brief performance of seasonal favorites. The familiar holiday music and twinkling lights on the musicians’ Santa hats brought smiles to the faces of Market patrons.

Sunday, December 7, the Market celebrated Hanukkah with the good humor, high energy, and dazzling musicality of the Ken Ulansey Klezmorim. Saxophonist Ken Ulansey is a winner of the Philadelphia Music Foundation Award, and the band included three of Philadelphia’s most respected musicians—pianist-composer Heath Allen, trumpet player Stan Slotter, and vocalist-drummer Paul Jost. In addition to the klezmer repertoire, they performed Eastern European-flavored versions of familiar Christmas Songs, a klezmer version of Auld Lang Syne and a samba version of the well-known Israeli dance tune, Tzena Tzena.

On Thursday, December 11, the children’s chorus of Thomas Elementary School shared a selection of holiday music—and their contagious love of song—with Market patrons.  What could be more delightful than fifty 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th graders singing Christmas songs?

On December 14^th, the PSALM Quartet sang for Market patrons. Their tight four part harmony and heartfelt fervor connected strongly with Market patrons, as they shared gospel music and hymns for the season.

The Victorian-costumed Classic Christmas Carolers sing familiar carols in four-part harmony. Most performances at the Market take place in a single location, in the Market’s Center Court. The Classic Carolers positioned themselves throughout the Market, singing a capella in multiple locations. Market patrons were surprised and delighted to encounter the Classic Carolers at various locations. Hoop skirts, capes, top hats and Victorian bonnets added an air of fantasy to the Market on the busy last Sunday efore Christmas.

Grammy-nominated Ethiopian born singer Woyneab Miraf Wondwossen who performs under the name Wayna performed at the Market on December 28, accompanied by Philadelphia-based pianist Luke O’Reilly.   Organized with the assistance of AfroTaino Productions, Wayna’s performance combined her distinctive R&B flavored interpretation of standards, original compositions in the style she calls “world soul,” and a few unique seasonal songs.

December was such a big month at the Market, it spilled over into January.   Holiday programming concluded on Sunday, January 4 with a Parranda—the traditional Puerto Rican celebration of Three Kings Day. Organized in partnership with Raices Culturales Latinoamericana, the Parranda featured the Puerto Rican folkloric musical group Raices Boricua. Market patrons sang and danced with the band, and even joined in on percussion during this 90 minute, highly interactive performance.

Music @ the Market is an ongoing program. Information can be found at the Market’s website, www.readingterminalmarket.org

Lead singer Jose Nieves Lopez, who performs under the name “El Gallo Pinto”.