St. Barnabas Episcopal Church Communications • August 18, 2026

Charlie Brown Christmas Piano Concert

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A Charlie Brown Christmas Piano Tradition Returns to St. Barnabas


St. Barnabas Episcopal Church will welcome the Borrego Springs community for its 5th annual A Charlie Brown Christmas piano concert on Sunday, December 20, at 3 p.m.

The program is inspired by the beloved 1965 television special A Charlie Brown Christmas and the distinctive jazz music of Vince Guaraldi, which has become closely associated with the holiday season.


Pianist Steve T. Hunter will once again bring the spirit of the classic holiday program to the piano. Hunter’s musical background includes classical training, jazz and blues performance, studio work, and decades of experience playing and conducting musical theatre. This year’s musical selections will be announced closer to the concert.


Last year, Fr. Michael Plekon stepped into the role of Linus, reflecting on the memorable scene in which Linus answers Charlie Brown’s question about the meaning of Christmas with the Nativity story from the Gospel of Luke. Organizers are hoping for a reprise of Fr. Plekon’s Linus appearance at this year’s concert.


The annual gathering has become a warm community tradition at St. Barnabas, bringing together familiar Christmas music, storytelling and the spirit of the season.


Donations will be collected to support community members in need, continuing St. Barnabas’ tradition of pairing seasonal programs with local outreach and care.


Sunday, December 20, 2026 at 3 p.m.
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church
2680 Country Club Dr 

Borrego Springs CA 92004

About Steve T. Hunter


Steve T. Hunter, born in Pasadena in 1956, began piano at age six. By 1964 he was studying under Robert E. Turner, a noted American pianist with lineage to Juilliard teachers Josef and Rosina Lhevinne. His early training blended classical technique with a strong ear, developing his ability to play both written music and by-ear arrangements of popular songs.


After relocating to Ontario as a teenager, Hunter enrolled in the jazz program at Humber College in Toronto, where he adapted his classical foundation to professional performance. By the late 1970s he was working full time in show bands and lounge settings, performing six nights a week and developing versatility across classical, jazz, rock, and rhythm-and-blues repertoires.


Hunter established himself in Toronto’s studio scene in the 1980s, playing on commercial recordings and developing his arranging and production skills. His career expanded into musical theatre with long-term roles in productions such as CATS and TOMMY, where he performed, arranged, and eventually conducted.

Over several decades he worked with notable mentors and collaborators across jazz, theatre, and commercial music, shaping a broad professional background.


Professional Highlights

  • Released ten solo recordings
  • Toured throughout the U.S. and Canada
  • Performed for a Canadian Prime Minister
  • Performed for a sitting U.S. President at the Kennedy Center
  • Built a four-decade career in Toronto spanning performance, arranging, conducting, studio work, and composition




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