HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — Thousands of flickering candles, a 12-piece orchestra and a former Trans-Siberian Orchestra vocalist will help usher in the holiday season when Christmas by Candlelight returns to the STAR Centre in Havre de Grace Nov. 27.
Singer Chris Pinnella will bring his holiday concert to Harford County for the third consecutive year, performing Christmas classics and contemporary favorites with new orchestral arrangements. The show begins at 8 p.m. at the STAR Centre, 700 Congress Ave., Havre de Grace.
The New Jersey native, who toured nationally as a featured vocalist with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, told Patch the concert combines traditional Christmas music with the energy of a large-scale musical production.
"We transform the stage with thousands of flickering candles, creating this incredibly warm, intimate atmosphere. There's something about the combination of candlelight, live strings and beautiful, uplifting Christmas music that feels almost magical," Pinnella told Patch. "And while there are certainly some peaceful, reflective moments throughout the evening, this is also a concert filled with tremendous energy, excitement and celebration."
Pinnella's musical career has taken him to venues across the country, including the Prudential Center in New Jersey, Lincoln Center, Birdland, The Rainbow Room and 54 Below in New York City.
He also received a platinum record for his work on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's The Lost Christmas Eve album and has worked with performers including Julie Andrews, Annaleigh Ashford and Adrienne Warren.
"A big part of my professional background was touring nationally as a featured vocalist with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. That experience was incredible and really helped shape the way I approach live performances today," Pinnella told Patch. "I had the opportunity to perform in some extraordinary venues, work alongside world-class musicians, and be part of these massive productions that combined incredible music with theatrical elements."
Today, Pinnella leads his own orchestra and produces concerts throughout the country, performing everything from classic rock and contemporary music to the Great American Songbook and holiday favorites. His 12-piece orchestra features piano, guitar, bass, drums, strings, trumpet and saxophone.
"For me, the strings are such an important part of this particular concert. They add tremendous warmth, beauty, and emotion to the Christmas arrangements. You can take a song that everyone has heard hundreds of times and suddenly give it an entirely new life simply through the orchestration," Pinnella told Patch.
This year's Christmas by Candlelight will feature songs such as "The Christmas Song," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "O Holy Night," "Christmastime Is Here," "Silver Bells," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)."
The program also includes Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Pinnella's original composition, "Song for Tomorrow," which transitions into "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" as a tribute to his Trans-Siberian Orchestra days.
"One thing that's especially exciting about this year's performance is that we're refreshing the production with new arrangements and material. So even if you've attended our Christmas concerts in previous years, there will be plenty of new musical moments to experience," Pinnella told Patch.
"I love finding that balance between the familiar and the unexpected. I want people to hear their favorite Christmas songs, but I also want them to leave saying, 'I've never heard that song performed quite like that before.'"
The orchestra last performed at the STAR Centre in June, but Pinnella said the annual Christmas concert has become one of his favorite stops on the tour. This year's holiday tour also includes performances in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.
"We're especially excited to be returning to The STAR Centre for the third consecutive year. The audiences in Havre de Grace have been so welcoming, and it's always wonderful to see familiar faces coming back with their families and friends," Pinnella told Patch.
While the concert includes softer, traditional Christmas selections, Pinnella said audiences shouldn't expect two hours of quiet music.
"I think that's an important distinction. It's not simply a quiet candlelight concert. There are moments where the music is incredibly moving and serene, and then there are these huge, uplifting, fun arrangements that really bring the audience to life," he said.
A husband and father of three young children, Pinnella said his own family has changed how he approaches the holidays and what he hopes audiences take away from his performances.
"I'm also a husband and a father of three young children, so Christmas has taken on an entirely different meaning for me over the years. I see firsthand just how quickly these seasons come and go, and how important it is to make memories with the people we love," Pinnella said.
"That's really what I hope these concerts become for people — a tradition. Maybe it's a couple enjoying a night out together, grandparents bringing their grandchildren, or a family kicking off the Christmas season the day after Thanksgiving."
For Pinnella, the goal is to create an experience that stays with audiences long after the final song.
"If we can give people a couple of hours to reconnect, hear beautiful music, laugh, maybe shed a happy tear or two, and leave feeling a little more connected to the spirit of the season, then we've done our job," Pinnella said.
Christmas by Candlelight will be held Friday, Nov. 27, from 8 to 10 p.m. at the STAR Centre in Havre de Grace.
Tickets are available through the STAR Centre's website. VIP tickets include upfront seating, a 2026 tour Christmas ornament, an autographed vintage holiday postcard and an opportunity to meet Pinnella.
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