Orchestra presents annual holiday concert
Orchestras present annual holiday concert
Whether the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the haunting notes of “Silent Night” or the more fanciful “Nightmare Before Christmas,” the holiday season offers a wide array of music to stir the spirit and tempt singalongs.
Such will be the offerings brought to the Yuma stage by the Yuma Civic Orchestra and String Ambassadors in the annual Spirit of Christmas concert.
The concert will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Historic Yuma Theater, 254 S. Main St., under the direction of Janet Jones. Also performing will be the Junior String Ambassadors and the Twinklers under the direction of Abigail Spaulding.
Lending her voice to the music of the violins, trumpets, timpani and other instruments will be local soprano Jennifer Wayman Hart. Among the selections she will sing is “Cantique de Noel” (”O Holy Night”), the well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to celebrate the renovation of the Roquemaure church organ. She also will sing “All I Want for Christmas” from Mariah Carey’s holiday album, and the song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” made famous by Judy Garland in the movie “Meet Me in St. Louis.” A fourth selection will be the Christmas classic “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
“I love performing with a live orchestra,” Wayman Hart said. “The component of the orchestra behind me is so much fun. Working with Janet and the orchestra, I’m adding my own touch. I think adding a vocalist embellishes it … the cherry on top. It’s nice to have that variety. I think it makes it more interesting for the audience.”
She will be a familiar presence on the stage to devoted orchestra fans as she has sung with the orchestra for a couple of concerts a year since 2015.
She recalled how that came about. “When I came back to Yuma, Janet asked me to sit in with one song. So it started with one song and it kind of grew from there. I enjoy it. I like the concept of live music. I think people get more out of it. It can be challenging … things don’t always go as planned. But to have things come together with the orchestra behind me … I feel we’re really making great music. And I love working with Janet.”
A Yuma native, Wayman Hart said it’s “nice to be able to give back to the community and be recognized. I add a small piece to it. It’s a great feeling to be appreciated. I think we have an amazing fine arts community here.”
In addition to singing with the Yuma Civic Orchestra, she performs with the Yuma Big Band and is a guest artist with The Yuma Jazz Company. She also has performed with the Yuma Community Theater’s Taste of Broadway and will direct the upcoming third annual Taste of Broadway to be presented Jan. 17-18.
In many other ways, Spirit of Christmas will make for a memorable experience, promised Jones.
Other selections will include:
- “Mele Kalikimaka” – A Hawaiian-themed Christmas song written in 1949 by Robert Alex Anderson, takes its title from the Hawaiian phrase for Merry Christmas. One of the earliest recordings was by Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters in 1950.
- “Christmas at the Movies” – Music from five classic holiday films are included in this medley, recalling some of the most memorable songs and themes from Home Alone, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, The Polar Express and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
- “Christmas Eve/ Saravejo 12/24” – Straight from the Trans-Siberian stage show, this medley describes the lone cellist playing Christmas carols in the midst of the Bosnian war.
And finally in conclusion, all the orchestras will join to “Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
“Make this very special concert a family tradition as you ‘experience it live’ with a beautiful selection of Christmas music played for you by our own Yuma Civic Orchestra,” said Director Jones. “Wherever your mind travels, be sure to know that this concert is an annual Christmas favorite so prepare your heart and mind for the real reason for the season and the greatest gift of all.”
Concert tickets are $15 for adults, and $7 for children, all reserved seating. Purchase tickets online at Yumashowtickets.com. Call 928-487-1344 for more information
Bring your tickets to Prison Hill Brewing Company on the night of the concert and receive 10 percent off your bill at the restaurant. Each patron will need their own ticket to receive the discount.