DEC/16: HOLIDAY SEASON PERFORMANCES
Highlights of my 2016 Holiday Season included performances of Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols with two different choirs, orchestra concerts with Evanston Symphony and Lakeview Orchestra, a production of Johann Strauss Jr.'s operetta Die Fledermaus, and more!
Sunday, December 4th: Evanston Symphony Orchestra's holiday concert featured The Nutcracker Suite with Evanston Dance Ensemble and performances with North Shore Choral Society, ESO Holiday Gospel Choir, Evanston Children's Choir, and the ETHS A Capella Choir, conducted by Lawrence Eckerling. (Evanston Township High School, 1600 Dodge Avenue, Evanston)
Thursday & Friday, December 8th & 9th: DePaul University's most popular musical event of the year, Christmas at DePaul, featured the biblical retelling of Jesus's birth by narrator and special musical guests with choir and orchestra in the spectacular setting of St. Vincent de Paul Church. Traditional Christmastime favorites were performed by full choir and a 50-piece orchestra, conducted by Dr. Eric Esparza. (Saint Vincent de Paul Parish, 1010 West Webster Avenue, Lincoln Park-Chicago)
Saturday, December 10th: The Edgewater Singers presented a celebration of festive musical traditions from America and around the world in An Edgewater Holiday. I performed Philip Seward's eight-movement work for harp and choir, The Joseph Cycle.
(Saint Gertrude's Church, 1420 West Granville Avenue, Edgewater-Chicago)
Sunday, December 18th: I had two performances on Sunday, December 18th of Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols for harp and choir. At 10AM, I performed with the choir of First United Methodist Church of LaGrange (100 West Cossitt Avenue, LaGrange). At 5PM, I performed with the women of Le Cantanti di Chicago at the Hyde Park Union Church (5600 South Woodlawn, Hyde Park-Chicago)
Tuesday, December 20th: The Lakeview Orchestra presented the original 1966 score from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, with narrator and vocalists from Chicago Artists Chorale, conducted by Gregory Hughes. (The Nettlehorst School, 3252 North Broadway Avenue, Lakeview-Chicago)
Saturday, December 24th: Since 2004, I've enjoyed playing harp for a musical prelude and mass on Christmas Eve at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with music director and organist, Todd Gresick, the Sacred Heart Choir, flute, and oboe. (Sacred Heart Parish, 1077 Tower Road, Winnetka)
Monday-Sunday, December 26th-January 1st: I returned to play in the orchestra pit for Light Opera Works' production of Johann Strauss Jr.'s comic operetta, Die Fledermaus (sung in English), conducted by Roger Bingaman. (Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson Street, Evanston)
