Albany Symphony plans 'magical' Christmas shows
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas. The Albany Symphony and Music Director David Alan Miller have scheduled a pair of holiday-themed performances, which Miller calls "perfect to celebrate the season."
On Sunday, December 4, "The Magic of Christmas" returns to Albany's Palace Theatre. A holiday tradition for families and kids of all ages, the event includes carols, sparkling holiday favorites, and more from the Albany Symphony, and a sleigh full of talented performers from across the Capital Region.
"We are so happy and excited to welcome all our friends to The Magic of Christmas this year. It is a wonderful opportunity for the whole community to come together to celebrate the joy of the season,” said ASO Music Director David Alan Miller. “Seeing so many amazing young performers on the stage with our great hometown orchestra and hearing us all make beautiful music together is a great way to introduce children and grandchildren to the wonders of orchestral music."
"We are thrilled to share the stage with so many dear friends, including two groups who have been with us since the very beginning, The Music Studio and Capital District Youth Chorale," continued Miller. "And we love having you sing along with us, as well!"
In addition to The Music Studio and Capital District Youth Chorale, this year's Magic of Christmas features performances by the Boland School of Dance, Ghanaian drumming group Gballoi, and special guest narrator Walter Throne of the Albany Business Review. There will also be a special appearance by Santa Claus, organizers said.
Magic of Christmas tickets, which go for $30, $45, or $55, are available on the Albany Symphony's website, or by calling (518) 694-3300. Before the concert, free activities for kids and a Santa photo station will be open to all ticketholders.
On Saturday, December 10, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, December 11, at 3 p.m., David Alan Miller will lead the Albany Symphony in "Holiday Classics"—music by J.S. Bach, W.A. Mozart, and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson—as the symphony returns to Troy for the first time this season.
"It's always such a treat for us to present beautiful Baroque and Classical music in the glorious
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall during the holiday season,” said Music Director David Alan Miller. “It is a privilege to share timeless gems with you, including Mozart's Symphony No. 39, one of his final three symphonic masterpieces, Bach's gorgeous Double Violin Concerto, as well as less well-known masterworks like Bach's sixth cantata from his "Christmas Oratorio" and Perkinson's
radiant Sinfonietta.”
Miller continued, “We're particularly delighted to be joined by so many fabulous solo artists: Two
leaders of our own violin section, Funda Cizmecioglu and Mitsuko Suzuki, as well as a group of
brilliant singers from the Bard College Graduate Vocal Arts Program. This program is so beautiful, you'll want to share with everyone you love!"
Holiday Classics tickets, which cost anywhere from $20 to $65, are available online or by phone. One hour before the performance, Miller will discuss the program from the stage.