Holiday Pops to be a Homecoming
|
||||||||||
| Printer Friendly Story View |
The Bijou Orchestra celebrates a Bay City tradition with its fourth annual Holiday Pops. Performances will take place on Wednesday, December 6 and Friday December 8 at Bay City's historic First Presbyterian Church located downtown on Center Avenue. Performances are at 7:30 PM. The concert is sponsored by Bay Regional Medical Center.
"The Bijou has had the opportunity to perform in a number of historic venues in Bay City," says Leo Najar, artistic director for The Bijou. "But up until now, we haven't had privilege of playing in what I personally think is one of the finest spaces for listening to music in all of Michigan. Bay City's First Presbyterian Church was built to be a community center in the latter part of the 19th century, and it has remained an important site for concerts ever since. Everybody has an excellent view of the performers, and the acoustics are first class. Performing the Holiday Pops is an exciting opportunity for performers and audience alike."
As always, the Holiday Pops is a celebration of the Bay Community and it has a strong emphasis on youth. "This is a family concert," explains Najar, "And we like to have many young people share the stage with the orchestra."
Bay City Central High School Varsity Choir has been a part of the Holiday Pops since the first year and this year they are joined by Central's women's chorus called Resounding Harmony. The students will sing several holiday favorites including a reprise of the gospel version of the Hallelujah Chorus which was last performed two years ago and was a big hit with singers and audience alike.
Essexville resident Hannah Thelen will appear as soloist in "If It Doesn't Snow on Christmas." Hannah has performed the role of Belle in Beauty and The Beast in last Spring's popular production directed by Tom Cole and Kevin Cole. She has also performed in Scrooge with Bay City Players and Children of Eden, also at Holy Family. Hannah is an eighth grader at Holy Family middle school and is a student of Julie Meyer.
The Bijou will play some classical selections appropriate to the season including The Skater's Waltz, Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring and selections from The Nutcracker and the trumpet players of the orchestra will be featured in Vivaldi's Double Concerto for Trumpets. In addition, they will perform several popular favorites including I'll Be Home For Christmas, The Christmas Song and others.
And don't forget the Klezmer set! "Every year we add a new wrinkle to this popular part of the show," says Leo Najar, "And this year is no different." Najar added that the Orchestra has had a new trumpet player join the orchestra recently. Justin Cohen spent several years in Chicago playing with the Maxwell Street Klezmer band, one of the best-known groups of its kind in the country. "Having Justin join Andy Rogers and the rest of us will open up some new musical possibilities that are sure to be exciting for the orchestra and the audience," Najar said.
All seats are general admission and cost $17 with student tickets selling for $11, Group rates are available by calling the box office.
Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.BijouOrchestra.org or by phone at (989) 892-4200 or in person at the Bay Musical Arts Box Office: 917 Washington Avenue, Bay City, Michigan, 48708. Box-office hours are 1-5PM Tuesday through Friday and from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday, October 14. Tickets will be available at the State prior to performances.
The Bijou Orchestra is named for the Bijou Theater, one of the earliest Bay City theaters, which later became known as the Bay and eventually the State. Thirteen outstanding musicians come from Michigan and beyond to perform in this challenging medium in which every player is a soloist.
The orchestra is supported in part by grants from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kantzler Foundation, the Russell H. & Maxine E. Smith Foundation, and the Bay Area Community Foundation. Major corporate contributors include the SC Johnson Corporation, Labadie Auto Company, Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, Bay Regional Medical Center, Omni Source and Thelen Auto Group.
| Printer Friendly Story View |
|
|
Julie McCallum, Entertainment Editor |
|
|
|
Printer-Friendly Story View
0200 Nd: 04-21-2024 d 4 cpr 0
12/31/2020 P3v3-0200-Ad.cfm
SPONSORED LINKS
12/31/2020 drop ads P3v3-0200-Ad.cfm