The Sault Symphony Orchestra will be presenting a celebration of Christmas music with its Sounds of the Season concert beginning at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15 at The Machine Shop.
The concert’s overture - Christmas Favourites - includes It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Silver Bells, and The Christmas Song.
That will be followed by Les Patineurs (Skater’s Waltz).
“If you’ve ever skated at a public rink you probably will have skated around to the Skater’s Waltz. I grew up in Toronto and if you went down to city hall to skate this played continuously,” said Stephen Mallinger, Sault Symphony Orchestra’s artistic director and conductor in a phone interview with SooToday.
Holiday Pops Sing-a-Long, sung by Karen Hughes Beacom - a Sault Michigan operatic soprano and SSO harpist - will be singing Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and I’ll be Home for Christmas.
Christmas Time Is Here and Linus and Lucy will be performed by an Algoma Conservatory of Music string ensemble consisting of youngsters from seven to 15 years old.
The first part of the program finishes with The Sound of Music.
“The Sound of Music is not a Christmas story per se but the movie came out in 1965 and it’s been on TV at this time of year every year since. It's become a part of Christmas for many families,” Mallinger said.
After intermission, the SSO presents Symphony No. 2 in C Minor by Tchaikovsky.
“The second symphony is based on Ukrainian folk songs. We did The Nutcracker at last year’s Christmas concert and people really love Tchaikovsky, especially at Christmas time,” Mallinger said.
The SSO has rehearsed for Sounds of the Season since Oct. 28 at St. Mary's College.
“Symphony No. 2 in C Minor by Tchaikovsky is an incredible piece of music with a really powerful finish. It consists of variations of a Ukrainian folk song called The Crane. The crane has been stealing the people’s corn and the townspeople are angry and attempt to trap the crane. It’s 24 variations of electrifying music. It’s fast with a massive finish,” Mallinger said.
Prior to Sunday’s concert, the SSO will be performing Mini Maestros - designed for children to enjoy and to introduce them to orchestral music in a more informal environment - at 3 p.m. Saturday Dec. 14 at F.H. Clergue French Immersion Public School at 80 Weldon Ave.
Admission to Mini Maestros is free.
Mini Maestros performances have had attendees as young as four weeks old and up to 15 years of age.
The orchestra began holding the free admission Mini Maestros show in 2022.
“It’s for all ages and it’s amazing how young people start getting interested in music,” Mallinger said.
Tickets for Sounds of the Season are available through the SSO’s website.