Celtic Wood and Wires

Our band mate, Shelley Whitnack, is keeping herself busy still with this holiday season! The Nutcracker last week. Williamsport Symphony Orchestra this week with their Happy Holidays Concert on Friday, December 9th! Music and tradition mark the holidays year after year, and new takes on old themes keep the enchantment alive. The choruses from Handel’s oratorio Messiah are almost as familiar as our favorite carols. The Williamsport Area High School Choir joins the WSO in the majestic Hallelujah Chorus, and you may stand, if you wish, as King George II is said to have done when he heard it in 1743. As for those carols…Good King Wenceslas and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing appear in Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Christmas Overture. Beloved Hanukah songs Rock of Ages, Who Can Retell, Spin Dreidel and others make up Bill Holcombe’s Festive Sounds of Hanukah. It may be a little early to predict a white Christmas, but our program includes two Sleigh Rides– Frederick Delius’ atmospheric picture postcard from 1899 and Leroy Anderson’s jazzy version from the 1940’s. Speaking of jazz, the surprise under our Christmas tree is Tchaikovsky reimagined by Duke Ellington in A Jazz Nutcracker Suite. The concert will also feature the winner of this year's Young Artists Competition. This will be a wonderful show! 🎄🎼😁