A Victorian Christmas With John Doan
Artist: John Doan
Address: P.O. Box 5081, Salem OR
Phone/Fax: USA 503-364-4787
E mail: harpguitar@gmail.com
Website: .johndoan.com
Dates Available: December 2011
97304 USA
Media Support:
"Victorian Christmas With John Doan" (Emmy nominated television special produced for OPB)
"Christmas To Remember With John Doan" (as seen on PBS)
"Wrapped In White - Visions Of Christmas Past" (National CD release)
The Artist will supply a Press Kit for promotional purposes including: Photos; Color posters; press release; sample
program for sponsor to print and make available at concert; biography; reviews; and general information on the
performance. Much of these materials are available at the <www.johndoan.com>. John is available for phone or
live radio interviews in your area.
Concert Description:
This Emmy-Nominated show explores how the Victorians invented many Christmas traditions we remember and
quite a few we have forgotten. Harp guitar, classical banjo, chartola, and ukelin are but a few of the original
American instruments to be featured. The aim of this concert is to recapture the feeling of a time before radio, TV,
computer games, DVD, CD and MP3 players provided most of our musical home entertainment. Amateurism was
very much alive back then, and people actually entertained themselves, especially at the holidays! During the
concert, Doan plays over a dozen late nineteenth-century instruments. These instruments were once popular in
American parlors, on vaudeville stages, and in mandolin orchestras. In addition to playing each instrument, he
explains their history in a entertaining and often zany fashion, shows slides of old catalogues and archival
photographs, and leads the audience to discover the origins of many of our American carols and Christmas
traditions. The audience becomes part of the show by singing (or whistling) along to a nineteenth-century
accompaniment. John will include in the performance several of his arrangements from his CD release "Wrapped In
White", a collection of twenty-one arrangements and medleys of favorite carols performed on dozens of Americana
instruments. At the end of the concert, everyone is invited to come up on stage for a closer look at the fine
craftsmanship that produced these vintage instruments.
Brief Bio:
John has performed with a diverse range of artists from folk legend Burl Ives to jazz ace Larry Carlton, and his
virtuoso playing and arranging has attracted praise from no less a guitar luminary than Chet Atkins. He recently
contributed a chapter to "Between the Strings - the Secret Lives of Guitars" a veritable compendium of the world's
greatest guitarists with foreward by B.B. King. He has appeared in numerous national publications including the
Washington Post, Billboard, and Victoria, as well as starring in two much-loved television specials produced by
Oregon Public Broadcasting: "A Christmas to Remember With John Doan" (seen on PBS) and his Emmy nominated
"A Victorian Christmas With John Doan." His music has also been featured on numerous television presentations
including Walt Disney, among others. He lives near Salem, Oregon with his wife Deirdra, where he is an Associate
Professor of Music at Willamette University.
Reviews In Print:
"Call him Mr. Christmas." Statesman Journal
"...guitarist and composer John Doan, putting a new twist on the standard Christmas concert, brought that 19thcentury tradition of homemade music to life...His low-key approach, in fact, effectively communicated the
charmingly casual joys of the popular music of the earlier day. He's performing important historical work, too, by
making his scholarship and respect for those lovingly crafted instruments and the sweet, simple music they were
designed for accessible to today's listeners." The Oregonian
"John Doan breathes new life into musty tunes with his pristine, intricate picking, which is laced with the delicacy of
a snowflake ... that evokes the nostalgic, mystical side of Christmas and leaves the shopping mall sentimentality
behind." Billboard Magazine
Concert Reviews:
"A Victorian Christmas Concert With John Doan ... had large, enthusiastic audiences and earned a substantial
profit. A number of the people attending this year's concert came on the recommendation of people who saw the
concert last year... People frequently commented on how entertaining and informative it was and how much they
enjoyed John's humor. Most touching, though, were the people who told me that it made them think about music as
something other than a spectator activity--that music can be something personal that brings people together and
enriches their lives."
Corvallis Folklore Society, Corvallis, OR
"Thanks for a great evening of entertainment that was much appreciated by our capacity audience. The Victorian
Christmas Concert was the highlight of our "Christmas at the Lincoln" weekend. Your stories, slides, and above all
your high level of artistry on an amazing variety of vintage instruments made for a wonderful performance. The
antique decorations were also a big hit with the audience as was your willingness to stay afterwards and talk to the
many people who came forward to see the instruments."
The Lincoln Theatre, Mount Vernon, WA
"John was literally Mister Christmas as he cast a spell over our rural audience... His offering is more than just a
concert. It is an audio-visual treat for the whole Family."
Clatskanie Arts Commission
"John's music style delighted the audience. His particular gift for storytelling added meaning to each piece that he
played... His Christmas concert included fascinating stories of Christmas' past and beautiful holiday music on many
unusual instruments from his collection. It was truly a pleasure to work with John Doan. His press material was
well-prepared and delivered in a timely manner. His relaxed style made set-up and preparation for his concerts fun
and even educational."
Clatsop Community College, Astoria, Oregon
Fee:
$2000 or 80% of the door. Fee negotiable with block bookings and for non-profit organizations (add travel expenses
outside Pacific Northwest).