Rome Symphony’s Christmas concert coming up Saturday

The Rome City Auditorium is playing host to the RSO’s annual holiday concert coming up this Saturday starting at 7:30 p.m.

Maestro Jeffrey Sean Dokken, conductor of the orchestra, will be presenting some holiday favorites with the help of The Barbaric Yawps for the annual event.

It continues the long tradition of the Southeast of the United States in general and Georgia in particular having a long and rich love of wonderful Holiday music. As does Italy, and in this holiday concert, the two traditions come together to fill the Rome City Auditorium with beautiful sounds of the season.

So when the RSO takes the this coming Saturday, they’ll be doing so with the combination of bluegrass and symphonic music during a concert with the Barbaric Yawps.

The Barbaric Yawps are named after a line in Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself,” the band has been together in Northwest Georgia for the last four years. They began with traditional bluegrass as a foundation, they play a full range of acoustic Americana styles, from folk, blues and country to newgrass, swing and rock.

As an egalitarian group, all contribute lead and harmony vocals and write original songs for the band.

Additionally, the event will feature storytelling, singing carols, and a candle lit procession will all be featured in this beautiful concert. This performance is designed to get the entire family in the holiday spirit.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand starting at 6 p.m. ahead of the concert’s start, and storytelling will be provided by local artists Jane O. Cunningham and Terrell Shaw.

A singing of carols and candlelit procession concludes the evening’s festivities.

Tickets are $22 for adults, and $6 for children. Seniors get tickets at $12, and students for $7.

Orders can be made at romesymphony.org, or by calling 706-291-7967.