Saturday, December 13, 2025 @ 7pm
@ Raue Center For The Arts
Christmas Meets Classic Rock in this unique take on the holidays, combining rock hits from Metallica to Pink Floyd to Moody Blues to Evanescence and more with traditional carols, popular classical, holiday standards, and beyond. Classical Blast has created one of the most unusual and enjoyable holiday shows around. It’s eye and ear candy the Sugarplum Fairy herself would be proud of. The show features music from the band’s 2 holiday albums, “Dark Side of the Yule” and “Whiter Shade of Winter.”
Learn more at classicalblast.com
This event is sponsored by
Greg Hirte, violin, mandolin, vocals
Greg Hirte is a violinist, actor and composer. He has performed in Lookingglass Theater’s hit production of Hans Christian Anderson’s “Steadfast Tin Solder,” as well as 20 seasons with the Goodman Theatre’s popular production of “A Christmas Carol.” Other theatre credits include the role of Luther in “Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash,” and Leon in “Hank Williams: Lost Highway” (American Blues Theater). Greg has performed and composed music for Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Court Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater & Piven Theatre Workshop, as well as several international music festivals. He has also performed with bands, Mucca Pazza, The Flashbulb, Gin Palace Jesters, Can.Ky.Ree, Mojo & The Bayou Gypsies and the Golden Horse Ranch Band.
Stephanie Koklys, lead vocals, guitar, piano
Stephanie Koklys grew up in South Florida, moving to the Chicago area as a teen. She attended Chicago Academy for the Arts and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in composition and music arranging from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. She recorded her first original EP at the famed Oceanway Studio in Nashville, known for recordings by Sheryl Crow, Paul Simon, Garth Brooks, Amy Grant, George Strait, Keith Urban and many others. Her a cappella vocal group performed for country singer Trisha Yearwood’s TV Christmas special. Throughout her music career Stephanie has worked as a songwriting coach, music theory teacher and vocal, guitar, & piano instructor. She regularly leads musical worship at local churches & nursing homes, weddings & funerals and often performs with her songwriting partner and husband, John Arthur. She’s mother to two young boys and, when not working on music, enjoys running. She’s always in training for the next marathon. Prior to joining Classical Blast full time, she performed live with the band on WGN-TV and as a guest vocalist on live shows as well as on two of our albums.
Bill Syniar, bass guitar
Longtime bass player Bill Syniar is a familiar figure on the Chicago music scene. In 1978, Bill co-founded the band Tantrum, producing 3 LPs on the Ovation label and touring cross-country with them. Bill later toured throughout Europe and the United States as bass player for CBS/Scotti Bros. recording artists Survivor. He appears on Survivor’s “Too Hot to Sleep” and “Greatest Hits” LPs. He has performed live at major arenas across the U.S. Bill later founded the popular Chicago R&B band, R-Gang, which he still performs with when not with Classical Blast. He has written music for the Doobie Bros., as well as for solo albums for Kansas vocalist Steve Walsh, members of the band Toto, and countless other recording artists. He pens many of the original songs on Classical Blast’s albums.
Hannah K Watson, violins & vocals
Hannah is a well-rounded violin & vocal performer with tons of experience on stage and in the studio. She’s fluent in a plethora of genres from country to classical to rock. Hannah has been rocking the violin since the age of ten and singing since 2004. She was classically trained on the violin throughout her youth, but always had a deep curiosity for other styles. She was able to dip her fingers in musical worlds like bluegrass, metal, and jazz while training at Columbia College Chicago, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Music Composition. She still nurtures her classical roots through The Chicago Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, with whom she’s been a member since 2008. She embraced her inner cowgirl as fiddler and lead singer for local country cover band, Suburban Cowboys, as well as for Trippin Billies, a well-known Dave Matthews cover band. She’s also co-founder of local string group, Chicago Street Strings, and performs with a myriad of other bands, which now includes Classical Blast! In addition to her exemplary ear, she is proficient at sight reading and fluent in a wide scope of genres and has written and arranged music for numerous independent theatre productions in Chicago.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tim Paul, board president
John Jacobsen, vice president
Jerry Trachsler, treasurer
Luanne Flavin, secretary
Mike H. Johnson
Richard Kuranda
Jack Minsley
Rich Naponelli
Michelle Nowland
Sandra Pierce
Steven Szalaj
Stacey McInerney
RAUE CENTER STAFF
Richard Kuranda
Raue Center CEO & Founding Artistic Director of Williams Street Repertory
Justin Wellington
Managing Director
Jenna Klaproth
Operations Manager
Meredith Schaefer-Flowers
Director of Marketing &
Institutional Advancement
Michele V. Knight
Marketing Manager
James Knight
Economic Development Manager
Rob Scharlow
Raue Center School for the Arts
Director of Education
Maribeth Ling
Front of House Manager
Chris Tumblin
Raue Center Director of Production
Lisa Giebler
Technical Director
Ryan Meadow
Raue Center Production Manager
James Mablin
Resident Music Director
Box Office Associates
Naomi Unverzagt
Max Powers
About Raue Center For The Arts
Raue Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 20 years, they have provided quality programming – striving to make it pertinent, available, and affordable to all. As a painstakingly restored, 1920s regional showcase theatre named for its benefactor—Lucile Raue—Raue Center has attracted the finest stars, Broadway shows, musicians and artists. Named on the League of Historic American Theatres, Raue Center is one of the finest examples of restored art and decor in the nation. The 750-seat theatre, located in historic downtown Crystal Lake, Illinois, is a gathering place for our region’s citizens and has become a true destination.
For additional information follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or visit rauecenter.org.
