LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lake County Symphony’s Christmas concert this weekend will include guest vocalist Christy Yohanan.

Yohanan will sing three songs: “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “White Christmas,” and “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.” 

A relative newcomer to performing, she found her musical voice via karaoke three years ago after moving to Lake County from San Jose.

“I sang in the choir when I was a kid, but that was about it,” said Yohanan.

Her life/work for the last 40-plus years was centered around the global label printing company she still runs (and raising her three children), but she felt “drawn” to music.

“I always liked music, and when I started singing, it made my heart soar.  It’s so emotionally freeing,” she said.

She started singing regularly when she ran karaoke at Riviera Hills Restaurant in Kelseyville. Later she sang karaoke at Andre’s Lounge in Lakeport and also at the Boathouse in Nice.  

Yohanan credits Andre Williams, owner of Andre’s, with encouraging her to stretch her musical talents. 

“He came up to me during karaoke and told me, ‘You can sing,’” she said, recalling that she was floored by his comment. “Since moving to Lake County, everything seems to have fallen into place. I love it here and have been lucky enough to meet some wonderful and very interesting people.”

She ended up working part time at Andre’s as a bartender and continuing with karaoke. “I also sang there once a week for about a year with Nicky Hind- a wonderfully talented classical pianist. We did quite a few songs together like ‘Imagine’ and ‘Knights in White Satin.’ I learned so much working with him during that time. He is an incredible artist. He’s at Andre’s on Wednesday nights.”

She says others involved in the music scene have also had an influence on her growth, including Mike Keating, “a band guy and also a very good singer” who runs karaoke at the Boathouse. 

Singing with the symphony is a new challenge for Yohanan and she is looking forward to it. “I went to my first rehearsal last week and the music was just beautiful. I am so impressed by how good the symphony is.”