Symphony embraces interactive fun for this year’s holiday concert

STAMFORD — Vivaldi’s “Piccolo Concerto in C Major” isn’t traditional holiday music. There are no muted strings that recall peaceful nights by the fire, no chants that sound like twinkling bells, no booming organs like the ones that play in churches during the Christmas season.

Instead, a woodwind dances atop the bright arrangement. Still, Stamford Symphony CEO Russel Jones said it is the perfect choice for the times.

“Short of adding sleigh bells to it, it’s actually really, really fun,” said Jones. “The winter can be miserable, especially this week with the snow. These are dark times, and so we thought, let’s have a holiday concert that’s fun. Lift spirits a little bit.”

With the piccolo front and center, Stamford Symphony will host a “Venetian Holiday” concert on Sunday at 3 p.m. that celebrates the upcoming festivities and brings together classical music fans across the community with a few virtual twists.

Musician Kathleen Nester will lead the concert, playing the titular piccolo under the direction of Stamford Symphony Conductor Michael Stern. Festive carols and booming horns from the Stamford Brass Quintet will follow Nester’s performance to lean into more traditional seasonal sounds.

Stamford Symphony typically tends toward family-friendly concerts over the holiday season, hosted at St. John’s Episcopal Church, with Santa sightings and all. But Jones said the virtual festivities this year will allow the orchestra to offer some interactive content that keeps music fans engaged while they watch from home.

“This is a bit different,” Jones said. “This is our brass group. We’ve got the whole orchestra doing the Vivaldi, a Piccolo concerto. And I’m actually going to be demonstrating how to make an Italian, Venetian mulled wine in the middle of the concert.”

While Jones wishes that patrons could enjoy the joy of horns bouncing off the walls from the Palace Theater in Downtown Stamford, where the Symphony usually performs, the virtual setup has some perks for the orchestra.

“This is actually the silver lining of the COVID Cloud, because we’re doing things through the technology that we couldn’t do on stage at the Palace or in the church,” he says. “Michael Stern is introducing the pieces, but he’s also talking between movements and explaining to the audience what happens next.”

Nothing replaces an actual afternoon at the orchestra, but audiences have embraced virtual programming. Jones says more than 400 people have signed up to watch Sunday’s performance, and even more music lovers typically watch once it’s posted online.

The Stamford Symphony already has pulled off interactive shows on two other occasions this year — first for its annual gala in October and then again early in December.

“A camera in front of the orchestra and just (pressing) record … that makes no sense and is really boring,” said Jones. “So, we seem to be keeping people happy. Obviously, people can’t wait until we come back and this is only substitute for the real thing.”

Since Stern, Nester and the rest of the orchestra recorded the concert several weeks ago to accommodate safety guidelines, the musicians will be answering questions in real time while the performance plays online.

For Stamford Symphony members, there’s even more action slated for Sunday. Stern will host a VIP Green Room for those with a 2020-21 Season subscription at which he and the other musicians can answer more questions about the music.

People can register for the “Venetian Holiday” and learn more about Vivaldi’s “Concerto in C Major” at the Stamford Symphony’s website.