Sarah Brown
The scaffolding is up for the 37th Annual Sweet Home Singing Christmas Tree production and the boughs are going on for this year’s performance, which will feature John Kluttz acting as its new music director.
This year’s theme, “The Christmas Tree Trail,” is a spiritual composition that blends events important to the history of mankind, Oregon and Sweet Home.
“We incorporated it with the Capitol Christmas Tree and the Oregon Trail anniversary,” Olson said. “Then we incorporated our performance with ‘The Trail to Bethlehem.'”
Songs include “Going up to Bethlehem,” “Rise up Shepherd,” and “Go Tell it on the Mountain.”
The choir will perform its Christmas program at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7-8, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, in the Sweet Home High School auditorium, 1641 Long St.
Kluttz, who’s had some history singing in the tree himself, attended junior high and high school in Sweet Home, and graduated from Oregon State University with a bachelor’s degree in choral conducting and a master’s degree in music education.
“Originally, I was studying electrical engineering, and I decided I wanted to pursue music because that was my real passion,” he said.
Kluttz taught choir and theater in Albany for five years, and taught privately for a number of years, as well.
“I started a youth choir in Albany, and I started a summer theater camp in Lebanon for kids,” he added.
He’s also involved with Lebanon Association for the Arts, with which he has performed in three Broadway musicals.
Paul Rowton, music director of The Singing Christmas Tree for most of its tenure since it was founded in 1981, approached Kluttz about taking over the position.
“I knew that (Rowton) was kind of on the verge of wanting to retire from it,” Kluttz said. “I was out shopping this past summer and I saw him and had a chat with him and he said, ‘Well, I think that if you feel like it’s your calling to do that, then I’m ready.’
“I felt like I was ready, too, and we just let it happen.”
The annual event began 37 years ago when Connie Nice, a studio photographer in Sweet Home, came up with the idea. She had performed in a singing Christmas tree when she was in high school, and she had a fondness for it.
The choir gradually progressed from one performance per year to three, which has been the norm for the past 27 years.
Rowton has spent most of that time as director, with David Dominy and Ben Pickett interspersing in recent years.
Rowton has said that he never would have guessed The Singing Christmas Tree would last more than three decades, but he embraced his role in its production after seeing the impact it had on people.
While Rowton said “it’s been a great ride,” he was pleased his former student took over.
Rowton looks forward to continued participation by singing in the tree.
“I’ll probably sing until I can’t,” he added.
Meanwhile, he has confidence Kluttz will do a great job.
Kluttz said he has “some big shoes to fill, but I want to make sure I do it the best I can.”
“I also kind of have a lot of vision for the future of it. I’d like to see it keep growing. It’s been around for a really long time, so I’d like to see it go places.”
The Singing Christmas Tree has seen some growth over the past few years, said Sue Olson, president of the board. Three years ago there were about 24 members, and last year there were about 32. This year there are 38 members.
“It’s fantastic. It really is. It feels good to worry about where we’re going to put all the people in the tree,” Olson said.