Symphony Tacoma press release.
Tacoma, WA— Continuing its 75th Anniversary season, Symphony Tacoma will present two festive holiday concerts in December. From cherished holiday movie and TV songs to Handel’s beloved Messiah, the programs capture the themes, spirit and “sounds of the season.”
Holiday Favorites
Sunday, December 5 | 2:30 pm
Pantages Theater
Geoffrey Boers, conductor
Symphony Tacoma Voices
Tickets: $24-$85
Conductor Geoffrey Boers exclaims, “Even the Grinch would love this concert!”
Symphony Tacoma is thrilled to once again present Holiday Favorites, its annual collage of seasonal delights for the whole family. The orchestra will open the program with selections from of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. The Symphony Tacoma Voices chorus will perform a medley of Christmas songs from a variety of holiday movies and TV shows and other favorites that celebrate “the most wonderful time of the year.”
Candle Blessing, a piece written by Symphony Tacoma’s composer-in-residence David Ludwig, will be sung during the lighting of the menorah led by special guest Jacob Finkle from Seattle Jewish Chorus. Always a favorite moment, the audience sing-along will fill the theater with joyful voices.
Tickets for this concert are on sale now through the Symphony Tacoma Box Office. Prices range from $24 to $85. To purchase tickets or season subscriptions, visit symphonytacoma.org or call 253-272-7264.
Handel’s Messiah
Friday, December 17 | 7:30 pm
St. Charles Borromeo Church
Sarah Ioannides, conductor
Symphony Tacoma Voices
Tess Altiveros, soprano
Laurel Semerdjian, mezzo-soprano
John Marzano, tenor
Zachary Lenox, bass
Tickets: $30-$48
Perhaps the world’s most well-known and beloved choral work, George Frederick Handel’s Messiah has transcended its time and place to become a “work of the people” shared by audiences and musicians around the world. This performance will be conducted by Sarah Ioannides and performed by the talented Symphony Tacoma orchestra and vocalists of Symphony Tacoma Voices—and is a tribute to Symphony Tacoma’s first-ever performance in 1946!
Originally a feature of the Easter holiday, Messiah has become a Christmas season classic. “After all, what is Christmas without the Messiah?” said Music Director Sarah Ioannides. “Two hundred and eighty years since its inception, it has stood the test of time within our community. Last year when we could not gather, we produced the virtual program, A Messiah for Our Time. This year, the musicians of Symphony Tacoma and Symphony Tacoma Voices are excited to perform it live again as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of this organization.”
Featured soloists include Tess Altiveros, soprano; Laurel Semerdjian, mezzo-soprano; John Marzano, tenor; and Zachary Lenox, bass. The 70-member Symphony Tacoma Voices includes professional singers and gifted amateurs who perform regularly in concert with Symphony Tacoma and in stand-alone engagements.
In compliance with COVID-19 safety guidelines, this year’s performance will be abbreviated to include two 45-minute segments and a 20-minute intermission.
Tickets ($30 for general admission and $48 for reserved seating) are available through the Symphony Tacoma Box Office at symphonytacoma.org or 253-272-7264.
