Southwest Symphony Orchestra celebrates Holiday Harmonies
One of Southwest Symphony Orchestra’s traditions is presenting an annual holiday program in the Southland.
The Holiday Harmonies concerts on Dec. 9 at St. Michael Parish and Dec. 10 at St. Francis of Assisi Parish mark a return to the Orland Park houses of worship where the orchestra performed 2018’s Holiday Cheer With Old Friends.
“We probably have collaborated at least five times over the years. They’re such a great group of musicians to work with and the directors (are) really fine,” said David L. Crane, music director of Southwest Symphony Orchestra since 1992.
Both concerts feature the combined music ministries of St. Michael and St. Francis. Gary Patin is director of music at the former and Leanne Stoterau Hahn is director of music ministry at the latter.
“We’ve often paired them together because both choirs are amenable to singing at both venues, which helps in terms of strength in numbers,” said Crane, who noted that the adult choirs from both churches are performing at Holiday Harmonies, which also features St. Michael’s handbell choir.
“What’s really unique about this and
I’m excited about is both children’s choirs are singing at both churches. There’s going to be a lot of children participating as well.”
Holiday Harmonies includes Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on Christmas Carols,” a first for Crane.
“Here’s the perfect opportunity with two really fine church choirs that can pull it off because not all church choirs can do these more complex works. It is a beautiful piece written in 1912,” said Crane, a former Skokie resident who now lives in Michigan.
The concerts also feature Southwest Symphony Orchestra — which includes residents of Chicago, Evergreen Park, Naperville, Oak Lawn and Orland Park — revisiting a previous collaboration with both music ministries for John Rutter’s “Te Deum.”
“I thought, ‘Let’s try it again,’ since it might be somewhat familiar to many of the singers rather than start something totally from scratch. It’s also a very festive piece that will certainly bring people into the holidays,” said Crane, who is also an orchestra teacher at Bannockburn School.
“Stille Nacht,” the German version of “Silent Night,” and “Christmas at the Movies,” which features a medley of music from films such as “Miracle on 34th Street” and “The Polar Express,” are also part of Holiday Harmonies.
“Of course we do a singalong, which is nice and is great for the audience to join in. We always end our concerts with the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus,” said Crane about the piece from George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah.”
Crane will retire at the end of Southwest Symphony Orchestra’s 2023-24 season at Trinity Christian College’s Ozinga Chapel Auditorium, 6601 W. College Drive, Palos Heights, where The Romantics, featuring Chicago-area pianist Michael Finlay, is slated for 4 p.m. March 3, 2024.
Other 2024 concerts include The Southwest Symphony Orchestra Journeys Southwest featuring the world premiere of Gordon R. Wallin’s “Desert Moods” from “Celebrate America” and square dancers at 4 p.m. April 7; and The American Song Book With Grammy-nominated Helen Welch at 7:30 p.m. May 11.