Orchestral music celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, an audience singalong with Maestro Jed Gaylin on piano and a children’s choir appearance for several songs are all included in Bay Atlantic Symphony’s Holiday Expressions concert.
After J.S. Bach’s “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring,” Bay Atlantic Symphony’s own Concertmaster Ruotao Mao on violin and Kimberly Reighley and Beverly Pugh on flute perform solos in Bach’s popular “Brandenburg Concerto No. 4.”
American composer Valerie Coleman’s “Umoja,” the Swahili word for Unity, the first of the seven days of Kwanzaa and composer Russell Steinberg’s “Lights On! – A Hanukkah Medley,” a musical journey through eight diverse Hanukkah tunes, each representing one of the eight nights of the Jewish holiday, are performed in the second act.
Soprano Melissa Chavez’s solo performance of the ever popular “Ave Maria” with the full orchestra is a highlight. Before Arthur Harris’ medley of Christmas favorites including “Joy to the World, “Silent Night,” “Deck the Halls” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” Chavez also performs “Cantique de Noel or “O Holy Night,” a Christmas carol written by French composer Adolphe Adam in 1847.
The highly anticipated holiday singalong follows the concert on stage. The Voces de Corazon children’s choir will perform on Saturday in Vineland. The Children’s Choir of Southern New Jersey will perform on Sunday in Galloway.
Saturday, December 14 at 3 p.m. at Guaracini Performing Arts Center (Rowan University Cumberland Campus) 3322 College Dr., Vineland. $37
Sunday, December 15 at 2 p.m. at Stockton University’s Performing Arts Center, 101 Vera King Farris Dr., Galloway. $37
bayatlanticsymphony.org/ or 609-449-8780
