The holidays are coming and Symphony Tacoma will present two concerts to celebrate the season. From favorite holiday movie songs to Handel’s beloved Messiah, the programs offer something for everyone.
Holiday Favorites
On Sunday, December 8, the Pantages Theater stage will be teeming with singers, musicians and joy when Symphony Tacoma presents Holiday Favorites, its annual collage of seasonal delights for the whole family. This year’s program features choral masterpieces and festive arrangements that evoke holiday spirit and feelings of celebrations at home. Selections from favorite movies including Home Alone, Frozen, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Polar Express, among others, will delight young audience members. Nostalgic classics such as O Holy Night, Tchaikovsky’s March of the Toy Soldiers from The Nutcracker and Lucas Richman’s Hanukah Festival Overture will further draw out the spirit of the season.
Joining the Symphony Tacoma orchestra on stage will be the Tacoma Refugee Choir, “a welcoming community of refugees, immigrants and friends who sing together to extend love, hope, and unconditional belonging,” under the direction of Erin Guinup. Guinup, also an accomplished soprano, will be the featured soloist on select numbers. Tacoma Youth Chorus, always a favorite for this program, completes the vocal line-up.
Holiday Favorites is sponsored by MultiCare, Columbia Bank, Stadium Thriftway, The News Tribune and South Sound Magazine.
Tickets: $24 to $85
Handel’s Messiah
Perhaps the world’s most well-known and beloved choral work, George Frederick Handel’s Messiah has transcended its time and place to become a “work of the people” shared by audiences and musicians around the world. This holiday classic oratorio will be conducted by Dr. Geoffrey Boers and performed by the talented Symphony Tacoma orchestra and vocalists of Symphony Tacoma Voices.
Handel was fascinated by human feelings and experience, and Messiah is his musical depiction of the human experience of the divine. Originally intended for the Easter season, it is now closely associated with Christmas. Audience members customarily stand during its most well-known segment, the “Hallelujah Chorus” following the tradition set by King George II who, according to legend, leapt to his feet when he first heard it.
Featured soloists include Leann Conley-Holcom, soprano; Soon Cho, mezzo-soprano; Brandon Tuohy, tenor; and Zachary Lenox, bass. The 75-member Symphony Tacoma Voices includes professional singers and gifted amateurs who perform regularly in concert with Symphony Tacoma and in stand-alone engagements.
Messiah is sponsored by Connelly Law, CHI Franciscan and Pierce County Television (PCTV).
Tickets: $30 (general) | $48 (reserved)