‘True Colors’ for Christmas

From left, Melissa Chill, choir member Amanda Kochell and music therapy intern Molly Wilkerson.

The song “True Colors” has been recorded by both Cyndi Lauper and Phil Collins, but no one has performed it with more feeling and sincerity than Melissa Chill, a Red Bank, NJ-based singer/songwriter who volunteers with Holiday Express, an organization that presents 60 performances between Thanksgiving and Christmas at places where they believe people need an extra dose of cheer.

Chill sang “True Colors” with members of the Matheny choir during the Holiday Express Christmas Spectacular benefit concert on December 11 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark (NJPAC). The band had performed at Matheny on Sunday, December 8, and founder and leader Tim McLoone extended his annual invitation for Matheny Choir members to join the festivities at NJPAC. (The choir is part of Matheny’s music therapy program.)

The choir sang “Let it Snow” and “Joy to the World” to standing ovations before Chill took the stage to lead them in “True Colors.”  “Melissa Chill,” said McLoone, “is one of those amazing performers who can be all rockin’ and bluesy one minute and rip your heart out the next.”

An additional highlight of the Matheny Choir participation in the benefit concert has been a special rapport developed with the Holiday Express dancers, a group of young women from the Red Bank, NJ-based Kathryn Barnett School of Dance Traveling Troupe. Some members of the dance group attended the Matheny Prom last spring and indicated they will be back again next spring.

The Holiday Express dancers with choir member Tony Santia.

Tim McLoone and group home resident Missy Barrett.

Few events are as eagerly anticipated at Matheny as the annual holiday concert presented by Holiday Express, the all-volunteer band that delivers music, food, gifts and friendship to those in need during the holiday season. Holiday Express has been coming to Matheny since 2001, and several of the volunteer musicians are like old friends, just stopping by for a visit.

Tim McLoone, the leader and founder of Holiday Express, dedicated this year’s concert, held on December 8 in the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center, to “all the volunteers, social workers, therapists, all the staff members. You are so amazing for what you do for all of these wonderful people.”

From the Holiday Express theme song, “Nobody Ought to be Alone on Christmas” to the rollicking, interactive “12 Days of Christmas,” the afternoon translated into two hours of pure joy and happiness.

Thank you, Holiday Express. All the wonderful musicians who give so freely of their time truly make this a season of joy. Matheny is but one of 60 venues the group visits between mid-November and Christmas Eve.

From left, Holiday Express singer Doris Jackson, Cathy Wild of Bedminster, NJ, and her son James, a Matheny student.

Geri Brewer and her daughter, Rasheedah Mahali.

“We go to 60 places, but you guys are Number 1.” With those words, Tim McLoone, founder and leader of Holiday Express, launched this year’s holiday concert at Matheny. And the theater in the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center rocked with the sounds of “Nobody Ought to be Alone on Christmas” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

The energetic Holiday Express singer Pam McCoy was everywhere, offering her microphone to Matheny students, patients and their family members. Bedminster’s Byron Smith sang his original composition, “Santa’s Comin’.” And Geri Brewer, mother of adult patient Rasheedah Mahali, became the second Matheny parent to be part of the band, performing a solo on “This Little Light of Mine,” prompting McLoone to say, “The light keeps shining on all these wonderful people, the dedicated caregivers at Matheny.” The other Holiday Express parent is trumpeter Jim Yedloutschnig, father of adult patient, Alicia Yedloutschnig.

Holiday Express’ mission is to deliver music, food, gifts, financial support and friendship to those in need during the holiday season. The organization is made up of about 1,300 volunteers including more than 80 professional musicians. Members of the Matheny Choir performed with Holiday Express during the concert, and McLoone announced that members of the choir will again be performing at the eighth annual Holiday Express Benefit Concert on December 20 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark.

Pam McCoy and Matheny student Bianca Mathis.

Danny Teresi and his parents at last year’s Holiday Express concert.

The holiday season is heating up at Matheny, starting with “Fruitcake & Mistletoe,” the annual Holiday Concert presented by the Matheny Choirs. This year it will be on Wednesday, December 5, at 2 p.m. and Thursday, December 6, at 7 p.m.

Then, on Sunday, December 9, Holiday Express, an all-volunteer band that gives more than 50 concerts between Thanksgiving and Christmas, will make its 12th visit to Matheny. For Tim McLoone, founder and leader of Holiday Express, coming to Matheny is like visiting old friends. He knows many of the students and patients on a first-name basis and chats with them during the concert. Holiday Express’ mission is to deliver music, food, gifts, financial support and friendship to those in need during the holiday season. The musicians also play every spring at the Matheny Prom.

On Saturday, December 15, it’s Lunch with Santa from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Matheny children’s dining room. Families of all of our students are invited to attend all of the holiday events. Just contact Linda Frankshun, director of therapies, at 908 234-0011, ext. 226.

Tim McLoone, leading the band last year.

Morris Hills student Jill Gonzalez and Matheny student Yasin Reddick. Gonzalez was one of many volunteers from the Trinity Lutheran Church Youth Group in Dover, NJ.

The theme of this year’s Matheny Prom was “Fire and Ice,” but the fire quickly melted the ice as students, adult patients, staff members, families and friends from the community took to the dance floor at The Skylands in Randolph, NJ.  Tim McLoone, leader of Holiday Express, the all-volunteer band that plays at the prom every year, invited three members of the Matheny Choir to join in the singing early on, and no one stopped dancing until it was time for dessert.

Student volunteers from the Junior Friends of Matheny (Bernards High in Bernardsville, NJ), Morris Hills High in Rockaway, NJ, and the Trinity United Church Youth Group in Dover, NJ, contributed to the spirit and enthusiasm of the evening, which included a special ice sculpture and the crowning of this year’s prom king and queen, Jamie Formisano and Dina Conturso.

Adult patient Taty Manousakis and recreation therapist Meghan Walsh.

Members of the Matheny Choir received three standing ovations when they performed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark as part of the Holiday Express Christmas Spectacular benefit concert. Singing “Last Christmas” and “Little Drummer Boy,” the Choir members then joined in with the Holiday Express singers for a rousing version of “Lean on Me.”

Holiday Express is a Monmouth County-based volunteer band whose mission is to deliver music, food, gifts, financial support and friendship to those in need during the holiday season. The band visited Matheny on December 11 and invited the Choir members to join them at NJPAC on December 21. The Choir is part of Matheny’s music therapy program. Its members perform throughout the year at a variety of venues, including the Peapack-Gladstone tree lighting ceremony.

Above: Matheny adult patient Taty Manousakis sings along with Holiday Express’ Byron Smith and music therapist Alissa West.

Below: Matheny student Yasin Reddick and music therapist Megan Chappius, left, harmonize with Holiday Express singer Mary D’Arcy. D’Arcy played Christine in the Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera.

For Tim McLoone, founder and leader of Holiday Express, bringing his band to Matheny is like visiting old friends. He and his band of merrymakers have been visiting Matheny since 2001, and McLoone, left, knows a lot of the patients and students on a first-name basis.

This year’s concert, held Sunday, December 11, in Matheny’s Robert Schonhorn Arts Center, featured traditional holiday songs, along with the group’s signature song, “Nobody Ought to be Alone on Christmas” and the always challenging audience participation on “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” During the performance, McLoone chatted up patients in the audience, telling them that Matheny is one of his favorite places.

Bedminster resident Byron Smith sang an original composition, “Santa’s Comin’.” Matheny father Jim Yedloutschnig of Cedar Grove played a hot trumpet, the Matheny Choir joined in and Holiday Express vocalist Pam McCoy displayed an incredible energy level, bounding all over the auditorium to encourage Matheny students and patients to join in the fun. Over the years, the concert has developed into a family affair as more and more parents and siblings of Matheny students and patients come to listen and become part of the interactive audience.

Holiday Express’ mission is to deliver music, food, gifts, financial support and friendship to those in need during the holiday season. The organization is made up of about 1,300 volunteers including more than 80 professional musicians. This year’s schedule encompasses 55 concerts between Christmas and New Year’s.

Below, adult patient Amanda Kochell receives a present from one of the Holiday Express elves.

Holiday Express, an all-volunteer band whose mission is to deliver music, food, gifts, financial support and friendship to those in need during the holiday season, will make its annual visit to Matheny on Sunday, December 11.

The Monmouth County-based organization is made up of about 1,300 volunteers including more than 80 professional musicians. Founded in 1993 by restaurateur and musician Tim McLoone, Holiday Express visits some 50 institutions every year between November and the end of December. The band also performs every May at the Matheny Prom, held at the Skylands in Randolph.

While most of the band members are from Monmouth County, there are some local participants: Byron Smith from Bedminster, Alan Grant from Bridgewater and Anthony Perruso from Rockaway. In addition, a Matheny parent, Jim Yedloutschnig of Cedar Grove, whose daughter Alicia, is an adult patient, often joins the band’s trumpet section.

Matheny students, patients and their families look forward to the Holiday Express event every year. Highlights include participation by the Matheny Choir, the signature HE song, “Nobody Ought to Be Alone on Christmas” and the group competition on “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

The concert will be held from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 11, in the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center on the Matheny campus in Peapack.

Above:  Holiday Express band member Byron Smith with his daughters, Courtney, left, and Jordan.

Below: Matheny student Bryan Desatnick with the Holiday Express dancers.