Holiday edition of 11th & Grant features works by Philip Aaberg
Philip Aaberg will bring his original holiday music and spirited Christmas favorites to 11th & Grant with Eric Funk on MontanaPBS, infused with his expressive sound. Special encore airings of “Christmas with Philip Aaberg” are set for Saturday, December 19th at 9:37pm and on Christmas Eve at 7pm.
The holidays are a special time for Aaberg. “The Christmas Eve of my childhood was full of wildness and excitement, wonder and reverence, peace and awe,” he says. “Music was a huge part of that. The traditional carols in this recording live on for a very good reason, and I tried to re-imagine the melodies and go deeply into the lyrics to make them live anew.” Aaberg opens up pristine silences and melodically inventive expanses that paint an audible portrait of the sweeping Montana landscape.
Although classically trained, Aaberg celebrates many traditions with his compositions. He weaves strains of blues and bluegrass as well as rock and new music throughout his melodic tapestries. Besides playing piano with the Boston Pops and participating in the Marlboro Chamber Music Festival, Aaberg has appeared with Peter Gabriel, Elvin Bishop and the Doobie Brothers.
MontanaPBS will feature additional airings on Dec. 18th at 2pm and Dec. 28th at 2am. The episode is available anytime on the program website or official app.
11th & Grant with Eric Funk is the premier outlet for music performance in Montana, seeking out the state’s most acclaimed, accomplished, and pioneering talent. The Emmy®-winning performance series also devotes significant time to each artist’s personal story, insights into their music and their approach to life, ultimately providing a deeper experience than a seat at a concert. Accomplished composer and musician Eric Funk serves as host and artistic director, hand selecting each performer from communities around the state to form a diverse series featuring genres from jazz to classical, country to zydeco, and rock to fusion.
Previous episodes of 11th & Grant are available to stream anytime at www.11thandgrant.com or on the 11th & Grant app. •
