Joel Parnis is the special guest of the Brandenburg Orchestra and Choir’s annual Christmas concert, which stops by St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in Wollongong next Thursday evening.

“What I love about Christmas is the feeling of yearning to come back home, that desire for comfort, that desire for family and friends and in the end that desire for connection,” he said. “No matter background or where you’re from, whether you’re religious or not.”

Parnis recently appeared in the Sydney production of My Fair Lady which was directed by Dame Julie Andrews, someone he called a great humanitarian.

“The amount of time and generosity she showed to every single person who walked through the doors [of the audition room] it made me realise there is … always time to show people kindness and respect,” he said. 

The Branderburg’s visit follows another exceptional concert of new and old festive favourites when The Song Company perform at Wollongong Art Gallery this Sunday afternoon.

Artistic director of The Song Company Antony Pitts said one of his favourite things about the festive season is the heartwarming feeling of wishing complete strangers a “Merry Christmas”.

The company will also present the Coventry Carol “Lully Lulla” in their final program of the year – one of the songs arranged by Thomas Mawdycke in 1591 from the medieval mystery play, The Shearmen and Tailors’ Pageant.

For ticket details visit song.company/ and www.brandenburg.com.au.