WITH a seasonal sprinkling of snow outside and a programme of festive carols inside, the Phil’s traditional Spirit of Christmas concert could surely win over even the most curmudgeonly Grinch.

Conductor Ian Tracey devised an enchanting evening which gave the unique opportunity to hear the combined musical forces of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir, as well as a series of readings from the narrator, former news reader and Classic FM presenter John Suchet.

Suchet’s velvety tones introduced a succession of charming festive treats but he did seem rather self-conscious sitting in front of the orchestra with all eyes on him. The constant plugs for Classic FM grate a little too as does the hard sell of the orchestra’s various CDs.

Still it’s the music that matters and the undoubted star of the night is young Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth. The beautiful 24-year-old made her debut with the RLPO earlier this year in front of 25,000 people during Liverpool’s On the Waterfront events, but this is a far more intimate setting to hear her haunting version of Holst’s In the Bleak Midwinter and the traditional A Tiny Child so Full of Joy from her homeland.

Elsewhere the young singers in the youth choir excel on their take of the Gloucestershire Wassail and just to show this is not all just about traditional England, they also chime in with a lovely Spanish tune A La Nanita.

The audience participation carols are as popular as ever, complete with enthusiastic conducting from Tracey, and it is a rare treat to belt out the likes of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Good King Wenceslas and While Shepherds Watched with the backing of a full orchestra.

But the highlight of the evening is a stunning version of The Twelve Days of Christmas which takes us on a glorious round the world tour with each verse adopting a different classical style.

It was a brilliantly original way to end a joyous night.