From Margie Brooks

Concert pianist and recording artist David Roach will be performing in both Hyde and Tyrrell counties during the upcoming holiday season. Roach, a native of Rutherfordton, has ties to Hyde County and this will be his ninth “Christmas In Hyde” concert.

The concerts are free and open to the public. The concerts are presented by Bryan Funeral Service as a Christmas gift to the communities they serve. Owned and operated by Steve Bryan and Edward Torres, Bryan Funeral Service currently has funeral homes in Columbia, Plymouth, and Swan Quarter.

“Christmas in Hyde” will be held at the Swan Quarter Baptist Church, 336 Main Street, beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14. In what has become a tradition at this concert, the audience will participate in a Hyde County version of the “Twelve Days of Christmas”.

The following evening, Roach will perform at the Madge Van Horne Auditorium, 902 Main Street, Columbia, on the Columbia High School campus. Both concerts will feature holiday selections written by Roach and others that are special to him and his audience.

Both concerts will end with audience participation in selected traditional Christmas carol – which is sure to get everyone in the holiday spirit with the true meaning of the season.

Roach is a Lamon Records concert pianist recording artist, who at the young age of five, surprised his parents when began playing church songs without music. In short order they decided it was time for lessons. He studied classical music and began developing his own style of Southern Gospel music. Currently he serves as the Minister of Music at Beaver Dam Baptist Church in Shelby and also teaches private piano students.

Many of his CDs will be available for sale following the evening’s performances. He latest endeavor was just published this year and is entitled “The Comfort of Music”. A small book conveys the story of how twenty-three hymns gave comfort to someone special and the set includes a CD with all of the selections on it. His “A Classical Christmas” CD – melodies of Christmas and classical music – will also be available.