On Saturday, December 9th, it’s a Hollywood kind of holiday as the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO)! continues its 51st concert season with “Hollywood for the Holidays”, including guests the Kawartha Youth Orchestra and Peterborough Pop Ensemble, sponsored by Swish.
Due to popular demand, this year the PSO is offering two Christmas concert times at Showplace Performance Centre for busy holiday concert goers. There will be a 2 p.m. matinee as well as the regular 7:30 p.m. performance. Both offer the same family-friendly programming featuring the fun and familiar tunes of holiday film favourites Home Alone, It’s a Wonderful Life, and The Polar Express.
Through the magic of music and fond memories of Christmas vacation movie marathons, PSO audience members will join some beloved characters on their merry (mis)adventures.
Creative kid Kevin McCallister manages the chaos of being left behind over the holidays, illustrated by Three Holiday Songs from Home Alone arranged by John Williams (“Somewhere In My Memory”, “Star Of Bethlehem”, and “Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas”).
Frustrated Bedford Falls family-man and banker George Bailey gets a Christmas Eve glimpse into what might have been, captured by Dimitri Tiomkin’s It’s a Wonderful Life Suite.
And a doubtful young boy takes an exciting train ride to the North Pole with new friends ahead of Santa’s visit, depicted in The Polar Express Suite, including the music of the Academy Award-nominated song “Believe”.
The fabulous Peterborough Pop Ensemble will provide their voices for the essential Home Alone hits and the classic sounds of It’s a Wonderful Life. The young musicians of the Kawartha Youth Orchestra (KYO) will lend their talents to other seasonal favourites.
Both the KYO and the Peterborough Pop Ensemble will be part of the popular PSO Christmas concert tradition of the carol-sing, to get everyone into the spirit of the season. Audiences are invited to join in and sing along using the lyric sheets provided in the concert program.
Among the KYO and PSO musicians at “Hollywood for the Holidays” will be flutist Tyler Evans-Knott, the 2017/18 PSO-KYO Apprentice.
The PSO-KYO Apprenticeship is an exciting new program launched this season, open to members of the KYO. It is designed to provide dedicated young students of advanced capability on their instruments with an enriching opportunity for musical excellence. Throughout the PSO concert season, Tyler will continue to play with the orchestra, receive mentorship from its musicians, and receive continued guidance from Music Director and Conductor Michael Newnham.
At “Hollywood for the Holidays”, celebrated local violinist Witold Swoboda will also be back on stage with the orchestra, for his last concert of the season as Guest Concertmaster.
The PSO has been so pleased to have Witold in the role, expertly helping to lead the orchestra through rehearsals and performances while new PSO Concertmaster Phoebe Tsang has been working on projects in Europe. Phoebe will begin her tenure with the orchestra in the New Year.
Single concert tickets for “Hollywood for the Holidays” are available from the Showplace box office at a cost of $30 for adults, and $10 for students. Please visit the box office in-person at 290 George St. N, Peterborough, online at www.showplace.org or call 705-742-7469.
Ticket buyers should note that there will not be the usual pre-concert “Meet the Maestro” chat in the theatre at either of the December 9th concerts.
Also, the post-concert reception in Showplace’s Nexicom Studio will take place after the 7:30 p.m. concert only. Audience members are then welcome to celebrate with refreshments alongside PSO musicians, guest artists, staff, board members, friends, and family.
VIDEO: Music from “Home Alone” by the Boston Pops conducted by John Williams
