Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra sets holiday concert
The Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra under the musical direction of Reuben Blundell, presents a holiday concert Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center.
The December concert features seasonal music and is a celebration of young talent. Among the featured pieces at this special holiday concert are “Finlandia” by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, “Zigeunerwisen” by Spanish composer Pablo de Sarasate featuring violinist Lea Wang, winner of the
2018 Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra’s Irving Ludwig Competition, “Sleigh Ride” and then “Light” by Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Higdon. Next is “A Christmas Fantasy” composed by the Ann Wyeth McCoy, the youngest sister of Andrew Wyeth, when she was just
18 years old.
The orchestra continues its celebration of youth collaborating with the Upper Darby High School choir on “All Bells of Paradise” by British composer John Rutter. Next, the Upper Darby High School choir performs a cappella selections including “Stille Nacht” arranged by Priano and “Wade in the Water” arranged by Gibbs. The orchestra then joins the choir to perform Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” The finale brings the audience, musicians and young singers together with Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” from “The Messiah.”
Tickets for the concert are $20 for adults, $17 for senior citizens, and $5 for students and can be purchased by calling the box office at 610-622-1189 or by visiting www.udpac.org. Upper Darby Performing Arts Center is located at
601 N. Lansdowne Ave. in Drexel Hill. Parking is free. For more information on the upcoming season visit www.lansdowneso.org.
Music Director Reuben Blundell and the LSO’s debut CD “American Romantics III” is a nominee for the 61st Grammy Awards in the Best Orchestral Performance category. The first round of voting by the Recording Academy took place in early October with LSO’s CD among 141 entries deemed eligible for the Classical category out of over 20,000 submissions that span the gamut of genres. The next round of voting in early December will identify nominees to be invited to the Grammy ceremony where the final winner will be announced.
Handel’s ‘Messiah’ in Wallingford
Ever wonder why audiences stand for the “Hallelujah Chorus?” Have a chance to rise two times, as Wallingford Presbyterian Church will host a Messiah forum Nov. 28, followed by its annual Messiah Sing on Dec. 9.
WPC Music Director Liz Braden will host the informal session about the oratorio, one of the most famous pieces ever written, for those who count “Messiah” among their favorites or those who know virtually nothing about the work. Listen to examples, learn a brief history and talk about how the text relates to the music.
A potluck dinner will precede the event and all are invited to join for the meal and/or forum. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m. and the program will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The Dec. 9 performance will feature the Advent and Christmas portion, the first part of the piece. WPC’s Chancel Choir will lead the singing of all the choruses, with the audience invited to join in, and scores will be available for those wishing to raise their voices. Guest soloists Kara Mulder, Maren Montalbano, Daniel Taylor and Frank Mitchell will be accompanied by organist Jeffrey DeVault, with Braden conducting.
The Messiah sing will begin at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary and a reception will follow the performance. Both events are free and open to the public, with no tickets required.
Wallingford Presbyterian Church is located at 110 E. Brookhaven Road, Wallingford. For more information, visit www.wallingfordpres.org or contact the church office at (610) 566-1644.
Critter sale at Brandywine
The Brandywine River Museum of Art hosts its annual holiday Critter Sale from Thursday, Nov. 29 through Dec. 2. Critters are delightful, distinctive ornaments and tabletop decorations that are handmade using natural materials. Each Critter has its own unique personality and expression — no two are exactly the same. Critters come in all shapes and sizes from whimsical animals — like cats, dogs, reindeer and bears — to heavenly angels and stars. Using their imaginations, the Critter-maker volunteers work with natural materials such as pine cones, acorns, egg shells, flowers and seed pods to give each Critter its own unique personality and expression. Prices range from $5 to $35, with specialty items from $50 to
$250. Brandywine volunteers have been creating Critters for more than 40 years, with all proceeds benefitting the Volunteers’ Art Purchase Fund and Art Education & Programming.
The sale runs Thursday, Nov. 29, through Dec.
2. 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. An Evening Public Sale is scheduled Thursday, Nov.
29, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Additional Critters will be available for sale in the Museum Shop beginning Dec. 3, 2018 through Jan.
6, 2019, while supplies last.
Brandywine River Museum of Art is located at
1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, right off Baltimore Pike in Chadds Ford.