Something special happened at The Parker in Ft. Lauderdale.
More than 600 people joined Seraphic Fire for Pure Imagination, filling the hall with toddlers, children, parents, grandparents, longtime patrons, and many families experiencing Seraphic Fire for the very first time.
In our 24-year history, we had never presented a concert quite like this one.
The response was extraordinary.
From the moment the music began, the audience was completely engaged. One of the greatest joys of the afternoon was hearing children react as they discovered which song was coming next. A familiar title could bring an audible response from the room before our artists had sung a single note.
For Seraphic Fire, those reactions were music of their own.
A Little More Magic on Stage
Led by Dr. Matthew Brady in his Seraphic Fire conducting debut, Pure Imagination was designed to show young audiences just how exciting the human voice can be.
And we had some fun along the way.
The program brought together music that generations of families know and love, including “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story, “Remember Me” from Coco, “Let It Go” from Frozen, “Do-Re-Mi” from The Sound of Music, “Tomorrow” from Annie, and “Go the Distance” from Hercules.
There were bubbles on stage during “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and glowing lanterns for “I See the Light” from Tangled. The visual touches added to the experience without taking the focus away from what Seraphic Fire does best: extraordinary vocal music performed by some of the finest professional singers in the country.
The afternoon also introduced audiences to music they may not have known, including Aaron Copland’s playful I Bought Me a Cat, Christopher Tin’s Baba Yetu, Andrea Ramsey’s arrangement of Crowded Table, and “The Call” from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.
It was fun. It was beautiful. Most importantly, it brought generations together through music.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
One of the afternoon’s most timeless moments came with “Over the Rainbow,” beautifully sung by Seraphic Fire artist Doug Dodson.
The song has been part of American culture since Judy Garland first sang it in The Wizard of Oz in 1939. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and was later inducted into the National Recording Registry. Remarkably, the song was nearly cut from the movie before Associate Producer Arthur Freed fought to have it restored.
Nearly nine decades later, its message of hope and possibility still resonates.
Doug’s performance made it especially fitting for Pure Imagination. Children heard music from movies they know today alongside a song their parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents grew up loving. In one afternoon, we could hear how great music travels from one generation to the next.
Welcoming a New Generation to Seraphic Fire
The success of Pure Imagination told us something important.
There is clearly an appetite for this kind of repertoire and experience.
More than 600 people came through the doors, including many who had never attended a Seraphic Fire performance. For an organization committed to building the next generation of audiences, that may have been the greatest success of the entire afternoon.
Dr. Brady spoke about this before the concert. Every professional musician can remember a moment when music reached them in a way they never forgot. He hoped Pure Imagination might create one of those moments for a child in the audience.
Maybe it was “Let It Go.” Maybe it was “I See the Light.” Maybe it was “Over the Rainbow.”
Whatever the song, hundreds of children and families now know a little more about what Seraphic Fire is and what the human voice can do.
We hope this was only their first concert with us.
The Season Is About to Begin
Pure Imagination may have been a first for Seraphic Fire, but there is much more music ahead.
Our 24th season begins in October, bringing Florida’s only GRAMMY-nominated professional choir and 2025 Miami Herald Miami-Dade Favorites Gold Award winner back to stages throughout South Florida.
For families who loved Pure Imagination and are wondering what to experience next, we have an easy recommendation: Noel: An Old-World Christmas.
Our annual Christmas concerts have become one of Seraphic Fire’s most beloved traditions, combining familiar carols with extraordinary choral music in an experience families return to year after year. It is a wonderful next step for someone who discovered us at Pure Imagination.
To the more than 600 people who joined us at The Parker, thank you for taking a chance on something new with us. To those who experienced Seraphic Fire for the first time, welcome.
We hope Pure Imagination sparked something.
And we hope to see you again this season.
Single tickets and subscriptions are available now at SeraphicFire.org. You can also call our friendly and helpful staff at 305.285.9060 to find the concert that is right for you.
