Symphony Preview: 'Tis the season, Part 2

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s regular concert season traditionally goes on hiatus during December, but special holiday events continue right up through New Year’s Eve. This week is relatively light, with only two shows.

Take 6

Friday, December 13^th at 7:30 pm it’s a long-standing SLSO holiday event: the IN UNISON Chorus Christmas concert.  Chorus director Kevin McBeth leads the chorus and orchestra in a mix of gospel, jazz, and traditional favorites for the season.  Guest soloists are basses Reginald Davis and Charles Stancil, sopranos De-Rance Blaylock and Rochelle Calhoun, alto Mary Moorehead, and the Grammy Award®-winning a cappella vocal sextet Take 6.

Now celebrating its 30^th anniversary, the IN UNISON chorus is an auditioned ensemble of volunteer singers that performs a variety of musical styles, with a focus on the interpretation, performance, and preservation of music from the African diaspora. Kevin McBeth, who became director of the chorus in 2011, is Adjunct Professor in Choral Music at Webster University as well as Director of Music at Manchester United Methodist Church, where he serves as full-time administrator for the Music Ministry.

It's worth noting that the IN UNISON Christmas show has often sold out at Powell Hall, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see history repeat itself at the Stifel Theatre.

Conductor Ron Spigelman

Saturday at 7:00 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, December 14^th and 15^th, it’s “The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert.” Ron Spigelman conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and members of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus as they perform Miles Goodman’s original score for this 2023 version of the Dickens classic while the film plays on the big screen overhead. Songwriter Paul Williams, who penned the Muppet classic “Rainbow Connection,” contributed original songs.

The SLSO movie nights are generally family-friendly affairs, so expect a fair number of wee folk, especially at the Sunday matinee.  And it is, after all, The Muppets.

Next week: the big Mercy Holiday Celebration. Stay tuned!

Symphony Preview: Looking out for No. 1

[UPDATE: Per a press release from the SLSO these concerts have been cancelled due to positive COVID-19 diagnoses in the orchestra.]

When I saw that the composer of the opening work on the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s (SLSO) program this weekend (Friday and Saturday, May 6 and 7) was “Joachim,” my first thought was that it was one of the rarely-played pieces by the Hungarian violinist, conductor, composer, and teacher Joseph Joachim (1831-1907). My second thought was that, as it was listed as a world premiere, it was more likely to be by contemporary American vocalist, flutist, and composer Nathalie Joachim.

[Preview the music with my commercial-free Spotify playlist.]

Nathalie Joachim

Sometimes it’s good to think twice. Nathalie Joachim’s “Family” is not only a world premiere. It’s also a commission by the SLSO written for the IN UNISON Chorus, which will perform it this weekend. Indeed, as Tim Munro relates in the program notes, “Family” was inspired by Joachim’s conversations with members of the chorus. “The title was clear early in the process,“ he writes. “Every chorus member used the word ‘family’ when talking about the chorus…These conversations gave Joachim the text for her new work.”

There are, of course, no recordings of this brand-new composition for chorus and orchestra available anywhere. Joachim’s work as both performer and composer is available at Spotify and other on-line sources, though, so I have included her irresistible “Suite pou Dantan” in my playlist. It’s from her 2019 album “Fanm d'Ayiti,” an orchestral version of which will open the SLSO’s 2022/2023 season.

So no, Joseph Joachim isn’t represented this weekend as a composer. But the first half of the concert will close with a work on which he acted as a consultant: Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1. It’s Bruch’s most popular work, but the 26-year-old composer found writing it a daunting task when he began work on it in 1864. A first draft was performed exactly once in 1866 but Bruch was unhappy with the results. He immediately withdrew the work and sent a copy of the manuscript to Joseph Joachim with a request for some feedback.

He got a detailed list of suggestions, some of which he implemented. After soliciting additional input from his conductor friend Hermann Levi and the composer and violinist Ferdinand David, Bruch finally felt confident enough to have a final version published. It got its premiere on January 7, 1868, with Joachim as the soloist. The violinist would later describe the concerto as “the richest, the most seductive” of what he regarded as the four great German violin concertos. The other three were by Beethoven, Brahms, and Mendelssohn, which put Bruch in pretty good company.

Max Bruch
en.wikipedia.org

That’s the good news. The bad news is that Bruch didn't make a dime from it. For all his strengths as a composer, Bruch was apparently not a savvy businessman, and he sold all the rights to the concerto to his publisher N. Simrock for a pittance. He wrote many other worthy pieces (I've always been fond of his 1880 "Scottish Fantasy" myself), but none of them matched the phenomenal popularity of this first concerto.

You'll understand why when you hear it. Bruch was a bit of a musical conservative, affiliated with Brahms and the German Romantic tradition rather than with Liszt, Wagner, and the whole "New Music" crowd, who held Brahms and company in such contempt. That means he wasn't afraid to write beautiful melodies or to play the virtuoso card. The concerto is a warm, heartfelt, and utterly irresistible work that marries technical flash with genuine emotion. The Adagio second movement, in particular, is a piece of almost heartbreaking beauty.

The program closes in a spectacular fashion with the Symphony No. 1 by Gustav Mahler. Clocking in at just under an hour, the First is probably the most economical of Mahler’s symphonies. It is, to paraphrase Anna Russell, a kind of Mahler vitamin pill, combining all the composer’s characteristic gestures in one compact work.

Mahler in 1892
Public Domain

It’s all here: the vivid invocation of the natural world, the heaven-storming despair, the macabre humor, the jocular impressions of village bands and sounds that would later be labeled “klezmer”, and of course, a wildly triumphant finale with a full complement of brass—including an expanded horn section—standing and gloriously blazing away. The subtitle “Titan” that’s often applied to this work may have originally referred to a novel of the same title by Jean-Paul Richter, but I think it’s simply an apt description of this music. Its impact is Titanic in every sense of the word.

It's also an appropriate choice for a springtime concert. Its hushed, expectant opening, its birdcalls, and what Chicago Symphony Orchestra program annotator Phillip Huscher calls "the gentle hum of the universe, tuned to A-natural and scattered over seven octaves"—all these things bring to mind a world emerging from darkness into light. Persephone is on leave from the Underworld and it’s time to get the short-sleeved shirts out of the spare closet. At a time when geopolitical darkness seems to be closing in on us, Mahler’s symphony offers some rays of light.

The Essentials: Stéphane Denève conducts the orchestra and Kevin McBeth’s IN UNISON Chorus in the world premiere of Nathalie Joachim’s “Family.” Also on the program: Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 (with soloist Akiko Suwanai) and Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. Performances of this final concert of the season are Friday at 7:30 pm and Saturday at 8 pm, May 6 and 7. The Saturday concert will be broadcast live, as usual, on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3.

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Symphony Preview: 'Tis the season to be jolly

Stéphane Denève kicks off his first official season as Music Director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) this week with concerts that can only be called celebratory.

The festivities start on Thursday, September 12, at 7 pm as Mr. Denève conducts the orchestra and Kevin McBeth's IN UNISON chorus in the annual "pops" program at the base of Art Hill in Forest Park. The evening includes favorites by Bizet, Bernstein, and Berlioz, along with St. Louis-themed numbers like the "St. Louis Blues March" (that's W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues," not the hockey team) by long-time SLSO Pops conductor Richard Hayman, as well as a mashup of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" and "Meet Me in St. Louis" by Hayman and St. Louis jazz/classical keyboardist and composer Adam Manness.

It all concludes with a literal bang--Tchaikovsky's "1812" overture (full title: "The Year 1812, festival overture in E-flat major, Op. 49") followed by Sousa's "The Stars and Stripes Forever," complete with fireworks. No tickets are required, although you'll probably want to bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating.

The "1812 Overture" in Melbourne in 2005
en.wikipedia.org

Regarding the "1812": while it's probably Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hit, the composer himself didn't think much of it. "The overture will be very loud and noisy," he wrote to his patroness Nadezhda von Meck, "but I wrote it with no warm feeling of love, and so it will have no artistic merits at all." Composed on commission for a concert commemorating completion of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the work frequently shows up in outdoor concerts like this one, where the large orchestra can be supplemented with a brass band, bells, and (where practical and not prohibited by law) cannons.

Since its 1882 premiere, by the way, the "1812" has been a subject of some artistic tinkering by conductors and orchestrators. One of the more notable arrangements is the one conductor Igor Buketoff put together for his 1968 RCA recording, which added a chorus and children's chorus to sing the lyrics of the two Russian folk melodies in the score. Will we hear the IN UNISON chorus adding to the joyful noise this Thursday? You'll have to attend to find out.

The first indoor concerts of the season take place Friday through Sunday as Mr. Denève conducts the orchestra and soloists Daniel Lee (cello) and Erin Scheiber (violin) in something else that has become an annual tradition-an evening of music by John Williams.

Mr. Williams, who turned 87 in February, is probably the best known and most frequently recorded film music composer of the last 100 years. He's certainly one of the most honored, with five Oscars, three Emmys, four Golden Globes, 23 Grammys, seven BAFTA awards, and, for all I know, a partridge in a pear tree. With 51 Oscar nominations, he is the second most-nominated individual in that award's history. His most visible work has been for blockbusters like "Jurassic Park", the first Harry Potter film, the "Indiana Jones" films, and the "Star Wars" series, but Mr. Williams's involvement with the film music business extends all the way back to his days as a jazz keyboardist and film and TV studio pianist. Remember the piano riff for "Peter Gunn"? That's him.

John Williams receiving the
2009 National Medal of Arts from President Obama

Former Music Director David Robertson is a great admirer of the music of Mr. Williams, and made an evening of his works something of a Christmas tradition locally. Moving this popular concert to the beginning of the season makes considerable programmatic sense, though, since it offers something of a bridge from the pops sounds of the Forest Park event to the first major works of the season the weekend of September 21. Those concerts will include Debussy's "La Mer," Ravel's Piano Concerto in G, and Gershwin's "An American in Paris," along with newer pieces by Guillame Connesson, Jennifer Higdon, and Pevin Puts.

Stéphane Denève rehearses the main title from Superman.

When you go, expect an evening of Williams's Monster Hits, including music from "Close Encounters," "Superman," and "Jaws". There will also be selections from the "Harry Potter" films along with music from less well known films like "Memoirs of a Geisha," "The Book Thief," and John Badham's 1979 version of "Dracula."

The SLSO has had quite a public affair for some time now with movies and movie music. Movie nights have been especially successful, with films projected on Powell Hall's massive screen while the orchestra performs the score live. The "Harry Potter" film series, in particular, appears to be a big hit, with "Half Blood Prince" and "Deathly Hallows Part 1" scheduled for the 2019/2020 season.

A bigger curmudgeon than yours truly might sneer at these blockbuster events, but there's no doubt that they help the SLSO's bottom line. And if they attract audiences who have never experienced the heady cocktail of a live orchestral performance then I, for one, am all for it.

The Essentials: Stéphane Denève conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in The Music of John Williams Friday and Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm, September 13-15. Performances take place at Powel Symphony Hall in Grand Center.

A special seasonal concert by Brian Owens and members of the SLSO

Celluloid Western star Dale Evans Rogers is quoted as saying that Christmas "is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas.”

I don't know whether that quote is apocryphal or not, but "love in action" certainly seems like a great way to describe an appearance by members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at the St. Louis County Detention Center on December 8th.

According to the press release that appeared in my in box yesterday from the symphony's Stores from Backstage project, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra IN UNISON Artist in Residence Brian Owens, along with a quartet of SLSO string players, performed "hopeful music" for an audience of around 30 accused teen detainees at the center's Family Court.

"Hope is something that we really can thrive on,” Owens said. “It’s something that can give us meaning and purpose.”

Mr. Owens will probably be familiar to local music lovers from his appearance at the SLSO's annual Gospel Christmas concert on December 14th, as well as from his many performances at local concert venues and even on the cabaret scene.

Janet Johnson, St. Louis County Detention Center Program Specialist, said she believes the performance will “inspire” the teens.

“I think that this will open their eyes to things that they weren’t able to see before,” Johnson said. “It could change their future.”

The performance was part of the SLSO SymphonyCares program. It’s the same program that shared music with adult offenders at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center last year.

In Matthew 25:31- 46, Christ is quoted as listing the many things that will get one a seat at the right hand of the Father come judgment day. It ends (in the World English Bible translation): "I was in prison, and you came to me." If that concert on December 8th isn't in the Christmas spirit, I don't know what is.

Symphony Preview: Christmas time is here

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Kevin McBeth and the IN UNISON® Chorus

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If you can't wait until December 25th to open your presents, take heart; the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has some musical stocking stuffers for you right now.

December 14: Kevin McBeth leads the IN UNISON® Chorus in A Gospel Christmas -- The originally scheduled soloist, Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, has had to cancel due to unexpected health concerns. Appearing in her place will be St. Louis native Brian Owens, an accomplished singer and recording artist in his own right. The program will include Gospel favorites, popular Christmas tunes, and Yuletide classics like Adolphe Adam's "Oh Holy Night," with tenor Robert Jackson doing the high-flying solo. There's even a soulful version of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from "Handel's Messiah: a Soulful Celebration" by Paul David Wilson. Tenor Curtis McGruder will be the featured soloist for that one.

Celebrating its 21st season with the SLSO, the IN UNISON® Chorus is "an all-volunteer, 120-voice auditioned ensemble that performs a variety of musical styles, with a focus on the interpretation, performance, and preservation of the music of African-American and African cultures." Kevin McBeth, who became director of the chorus in 2011, is Director of Music at Manchester United Methodist Church and serves as full-time administrator for the Music Ministry, which includes 18 choral and handbell ensembles, involving nearly 500 youngsters and adults.

Note that this show always sells well and, in fact, only a limited number of tickets are available as this is being written.

Doug Labrecque

December 15-17: The Mercy Holiday Celebration -- Resident Conductor Gemma New leads the orchestra and Holiday Festival Chorus (consisting of students from local schools and colleges conducted by Kevin McBeth) in a program of traditional carols and seasonal pop songs. The featured soloist is singer and actor Doug Labrecque, whose stage credits include the roles of both the Phantom and Raoul in the Harold Prince production of Phantom of the Opera.

The program this year includes one of my all-time favorite Christmas medleys, Leroy Anderson's A Christmas Festival, along with selections from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, a mix of traditional and contemporary holiday songs, a "Holiday Sing-Along," and a suite from Alan Silvestri's score for the film Polar Express. There will also presumably be the annual "surprise" visit from Santa (usually played by the ever-charming Whit Richert). "Pops" events like this are usually big moneymakers for the orchestra and great fun as well. Only a dedicated Scrooge could complain.

The Bach Society at Powell Hall

December 19: The Bach Society Christmas Candlelight Concert -- Soloists Scott Kennebeck , Martha J. Hart and Sari Gruber join the Bach Society Chorus and Orchestra for Handel's Messiah and the usual assortment of traditional holiday carols. What makes this annual program truly special, though, is the candlelight procession that starts the second half.

The lights dim, and the members of the Bach Society walk down the aisles singing, each with an electric candle. If you're lucky enough to be sitting downstairs in the orchestra section, you find yourself surrounded by singers - some carrying the melody, some harmony, enveloping you in a constantly changing kaleidoscope of sound. Charles Ives would have loved it. It's a St. Louis tradition and every music lover should get to experience it at least once.

This isn't an SLSO event, but the SLSO is handling the ticketing and it does take place in Powell Hall, so I figured it's fair game for this article.

December 21-23: The Music of John Williams -- SLSO Music Director David Robertson is a great admirer of the work of famed film composer John Williams, and his concerts of Williams film music have become something of a holiday tradition in recent years.

John Williams receiving the
2009 National Medal of Arts
from President Obama

Mr. Williams, who will turn 86 in February, is probably the best known and most frequently recorded film music composer of the last 100 years. He's certainly one of the most honored, with five Oscars, four Golden Globes, 22 Grammys, seven BAFTA awards, and, for all I know, a partridge in a pear tree. With 49 Oscar nominations, he is the second most-nominated individual in that award's history. His most visible work has been for blockbusters like Jurassic Park, the first Harry Potter film, the Indiana Jones films, and the Star Wars series, but Mr. Williams's involvement with the film music business extends all the way back to his days as a jazz keyboardist and film and TV studio pianist. Remember piano riff for Peter Gunn? That's him.

The program for this year hasn't been released yet, but the SLSO web site promises music from ET, Schindler's List, The Cowboys, Superman and Star Wars. If the concert two years ago was any indication, I'd expect selections from the Harry Potter films as well and if a program this close to Christmas doesn't include the popular "Christmas Memory" song from that Home Alone, I'll eat my mistletoe.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of February 9, 2014

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Eliot Unitarian Chapel presents a Friends of Music concert on Sunday, February 15, at 3 PM. "The program will feature: Baroque music by Georg Philipp Telemann, Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Heinrich Biber and Marco Uccellini played on Baroque instruments by Lorraine Glass-Harris and Darrel Berg, violins; James Harris, flute; and Alan Rosenkoetter, guitar. Songs from Broadway musicals and other show tunes performed by Madeline Black, soprano, and Patti Brumleve, piano." Eliot Unitarian Chapel is at 100 South Argonne in Kirkwood. For more information: fomcstl.org

Amy Camie

The Ethical Society presents a Faces of Love Concert: Celebration of the Divine Feminine on Saturday, February 14, at 8 p.m. "The 18th Annual Faces Of Love Concert features diverse and extraordinary female musicians and singers whose performances are both spiritual and contemporary arousing our deepest emotions and instincts. Aska Kaneko, an internationally known Japanese violinist/composer and member of the group Gaia Cuatro is teaming up with Jasnam Daya Singh (Weber Iago), a Brazilian pianist and composer as the featured artists. Joining them are Amy Camie, professional harpist and award winning recording artist and Ruth Latchison Nichols recognized as one of the leading Gospel singers in the region. All of these spectacular artists share a commitment to internal harmony and universal peace through the vehicle of music ranging from classical to jazz, new age to gospel and contemporary forms of sacred music." The performance takes at the Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Road. For more information: ethicalstl.org.

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus presents Concert Four: Milhaud and Purcell on Sunday, February 15, at 3 p.m. “Quintessentialy French motets and chansons arranged by Darius Milhaud offer a striking contrast with the brooding, even searing, anthems of Henry Purcell, written for Westminster Abbey immediately prior to the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688.” The concert takes place at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust. For more information: www.chamberchorus.org

Kevin McBeth

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents Lift Every Voice: A Black History Month Celebration on Friday, February 13, at 7:30 PM. “This annual concert celebrates African-American cultures and traditions that have influenced the history of St. Louis, as well as cities around the world. Join conductor Kevin McBeth and the St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON chorus to commemorate influential leaders who helped shape history.” The concert takes place at Powell Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a classical open stage night on Monday, February 9, from 7:30 – 9 PM. “Come by yourself or bring your quartet. Sight read through a Beethoven quartet or use this as an opportunity to put the finishing touches on that Hindemith Viola Sonata you have been working on. All ages and skill levels are welcome. We have a 6' grand piano and an accompanist.” The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents an evening of chamber music by Haydn, Kodály, and Shostakovich with St. Louis Symphony musicians Ann Fink (violin), Jennifer Yamamoto (violin), Eva Stern (viola), Davin Rubicz (cello), and Patti Wolf (piano) on Tuesday, February 10, at 8 p.m. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a special Valentine's "Senses in Harmony" wine pairing recital with Rebecca Drury, soprano; Diana Umali, piano; Jon Garrett, tenor and piano; and Melissa Peterson, sopran on Saturday, February 14, at 8 p.m. "Classical, opera, art song, musical theatre...all lighthearted and fun. This program is guaranteed to bring smiles and laughter on "heart day." Songs and sets will be paired with like-minded wines perfect for the occasion. we'll have something for everyone - a "singles" date alternative, or girls' night out, and/or something for sweethearts - fun for all." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Washington University presents a senior piano recital by Jonathan Heaney on Friday, February 13, at 2 p.m. The program features music by Brahms. The performance takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: news.wustl.edu.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of December 15, 2014

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St. Louis Chamber Chorus in 2011

The Kirkwood Public Library presents the Bella Corda and Musica Viva guitar ensembles in a Christmas concert on Monday, December 15, at 7 p.m. The library is at 104 E. Jefferson in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org.

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus presents Concert Three: Palestrina and Herbert Howells "A joyous mass for Christmas by Rome's 'Prince of Music' — Palestrina is interlaced with achingly beautiful carols by a towering figure of the English Musical Renaissance, Herbert Howells." The concert takes place on Sunday, December 21 at 3 PM at First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, 100 E. Adams in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: www.chamberchorus.org

Kevin McBeth conducts the St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON® Chorus in A Gospel Christmas on Thursday, December 18, at 7:30 p.m. "Gospel sensation Oleta Adams joins the STL Symphony and IN UNISON® Chorus led by director Kevin McBeth for a night of soul-stirring Gospel music to celebrate the most joyous of seasons." The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. The concert is sold out, but standing room tickets are still available. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Chelsea Packard

Steven Jarvi conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra along with the Holiday Festival Chorus and vocalist Chelsea Packard in the Macy's Holiday Celebration Friday and Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., December 19-21. "Old and young, naughty and nice are all invited to enjoy St. Louis' annual holiday tradition in a splendidly decorated Powell Hall. Enjoy a visit from Santa and your favorite carols and holiday tunes, including the Polar Express Suite, The Night Before Christmas narrated by KMOX's Charlie Brennan, music from It's a Wonderful Life and the 2014 Academy Award® Winner for Best Original Song, "Let It Go" from Frozen. See why more than 10,000 St. Louisans make Powell Hall home for the holidays." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Marie Halley, vocals; Lisa Gilbert, wooden flutes; and Bran Vihan, guitar and vocals, in A Concert of Celtic Carols on Thursday, December 18, at 8 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a Winter Solstice Concert by guitarist Todd Mosby on Friday, December 19, at 8 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents soprano Rebecca Drury and tenor/pianist Jon Garrett in a concert of music for the holiday season. on Saturday, December 20, at 8 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Winter Opera presents Holidays on the Hill on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 16 and 17, at 7 p.m. "Treat someone special to the unique gift of music and fine dining this December. Includes a four-course dinner at Dominic's on the Hill as well as a concert sung by Winter Opera artists. Gift certificates available." The event takes place at Dominic's On the Hill, 200 1501 Wilson. For more information: www.winteroperastl.org.

Symphony Preview: The concerts of Christmas present

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The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will be delivering Christmas presents for St. Louis audiences throughout the month of December. Let's sneak downstairs and take a peek under the wrapping, shall we?

The Flying Wallendas
circusflora.org

December 12-14: A Winter Fable with Circus Flora - Music has always been a part of the Circus Flora experience, so the partnership with the symphony isn’t as unusual as it might seem. This is, in fact, the orchestra's fourth team-up with our much-loved local circus; the last one was "A Child's Christmas in Wales" two years ago.

As always, the combination of music and circus acts has a story line to hold everything together. This time it's a fairy tale "set in the High Tatras mountains, in the ancient and beautiful Kingdom of the Spiís." There's a magic spell, a princess and (because it's a circus) a horse, along with trained dogs. The Flying Wallendas will be on hand with their legendary high-wire act, along with the popular St. Louis Arches and, of course Theatre Director Cecil MacKinnon as Yo-Yo, the Narrator.

Symphony Resident Conductor Steven Jarvi leads the orchestra in a program with a heavy Eastern European and Russian flavor. Dvořák is heavily favored, along with Bartók, Glinka, Janáček, Ippolitov-Ivanov and that other hyphenated Russian, Rimsky-Korsakov. There are also some Brahms "Hungarian Dances," along with Berlioz's "Hungarian March" from "The Damnation of Faust."

Kevin McBeth
stlsymphony.org

December 18: Kevin McBeth leads the IN UNISON® Chorus in "A Gospel Christmas" – Best-selling singer/songwriter Oleta Adams and her band are the guest soloists in a program that features many of her original compositions along with Gospel favorites and popular Christmas tunes. There's even a soulful version of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from "Handel's Messiah: a Soulful Celebration" by Paul David Wilson.

Celebrating its 20th season with the SLSO, the IN UNISON® Chorus is "an all-volunteer, 120-voice auditioned ensemble that performs a variety of musical styles, with a focus on the interpretation, performance, and preservation of the music of African-American and African cultures." Kevin McBeth, who became director of the chorus in 2011, is Director of Music at Manchester United Methodist Church and serves as full-time administrator for the Music Ministry, which includes 18 choral and handbell ensembles, involving nearly 500 youngsters and adults.  NOTE: as of Friday, December 12, this concert is sold out, but standing room tickets are still available.

December 19-21: The Macy's Holiday Celebration – Steven Jarvi conducts the orchestra and Holiday Festival Chorus (consisting of students from local schools and colleges conducted by Kevin McBeth) in a program of traditional carols and seasonal pop songs. Featured soloists are musical theater star Chelsea Packard and local television personality Charles Brennan, who will narrate Randol Alan Bass's musical setting of "The Night Before Christmas."

There's also a "Holiday Sing-Along", music from the films "Polar Express" and "It's A Wonderful Life," and the annual "surprise" visit from Santa (usually played by the ever-charming Whit Richert). "Pops" events like this are usually big moneymakers for the orchestra and great fun as well. Only a dedicated Scrooge could complain.

The Bach Society at Powell Hall
bachsociety.ort

December 23: The Bach Society Christmas Candlelight Concert – A. Dennis Sparger conducts the Bach Society Chorus along with members of the SLSO, the St. Louis Children's Choirs, and soloists Jane Jennings (soprano), Debra Hillabrand (mezzo), and Don Frazure (tenor).This is usually a more classically-oriented program, although favorite carols and an audience sing-along are included as well.

The "candlelight" refers to the opening of the second half of the concert. The lights dim, and the members of the Bach Society walk down the aisles singing, each with an electric candle. If you're lucky enough to be sitting downstairs in the orchestra section, you find yourself surrounded by singers - some carrying the melody, some harmony, enveloping you in a constantly changing kaleidoscope of sound. Charles Ives would have loved it. It's a St. Louis tradition and every music lover should get to experience it at least once.

This isn't an SLSO event, but symphony musicians are involved and it does take place in Powell Hall, so I figured it's fair game for this article.

There are other special concerts at Powell after Christmas. I'll give you a look at the in my next preview article.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of February 10, 2014

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The Bach Society of St. Louis presents an A Choral Celebration of St. Louis on Sunday, February 16, at 3 PM at The Touhill Center on the UMSL campus. “Seven of the region’s finest choirs will present a diverse choral music concert reflecting St. Louis’ rich heritage. In honor of the 250th anniversary of the city of Saint Louis, this benefit concert will be offered free to the public, with donations benefiting the Assistance League of St. Louis…Jim Connett from the Radio Arts Foundation will be the host. Under the umbrella of St. Louis Sings and the Bach Society of Saint Louis, the program will feature: the Bach Society of Saint Louis Chorus, Saint Louis Chamber Chorus, Ambassadors of Harmony, St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus, the Archdiocesan Chorus, St. Louis Children’s Choirs, and the UMSL University Singers.” For more information: www.bachsociety.org

The 442s

The Center for the Humanities at UMSL presents The 442s on Monday, February 10, at 12:15 PM at the J. C. Penney Conference Center, room 402, on the UMSL campus. "The 442s are what we get when two outstanding members of the world-renowned St. Louis Symphony Orchestra combine with two of the city's finest jazz musicians from the Erin Bode Group. Join us to hear this exciting new acoustic instrumental quartet named for the modern standard tuning of 442 Hz. Brought together by the innovative and inspired compositions of Adam Maness, who plays guitar, accordion, melodica, and glockenspiel in the group, The 442s also features Shawn Weil on violin, Bjorn Ranheim on cello, and Sydney Rodway on bass. In addition to performing, The 442s discuss their unique partnership, compositional style, recording project, and genre-defying sound that is gaining them local and national attention." For more information: www.umsl.edu/~cfh

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Even More Love Fest, featuring soprano Miran Halen and pianist Alla Voskoboynikova, on Tuesday, February 11, at 7:30 PM. The program features music by Poulenc, Thuille, Farkas, and Hahn. The concert takes place at The Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

The Chamber Players of St. Louis and the Laclede Quartet presents a concert by the Maryville Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, February 16, at 3 PM. The concert of Austrian Favorites features Telemann's Concerto in G for viola, Haydn's Symphony No. 68, and Schubert's Symphony No. 8. The concert takes place at the Maryville University Auditorium, 650 Maryville University Drive. For more information: maryvillesymphony.com.

The Kingsbury Ensemble

The Kingsbury Ensemble presents Vivaldi, Venetian Cantatas and Concertos on Saturday, February 15, at 7:30 PM. “The Kingsbury Ensemble, St Louis early music group on period instruments, will present a program of instrumental and vocal music of the Italian Baroque. Guest soprano Kristen Watson,praised in the New York Times for her "beautifully shaped, carefully nuanced singing" joins Kingsbury musicians Margaret Humphrey and Marc Thayer, violins, Douglas Worthen, flute, Elizabeth Ramos, viola, Ken Kulosa and Stephanie Hunt, cellos, Fred DeVaney, bass, and Maryse Carlin, harpsichord. On the program: concertos for one and two cellos, concerto for flute "La Notte", cantatas "Nulla in Terra Pax Sincera" and "O qui Coeli", all by Antonio Vivaldi.” The performance takes place at Memorial Presbyterian Church, 201, South Skinker. For more information: www.kingsburyensemble.com

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents Lift Every Voice: A Black History Month Celebration on Friday, February 14, at 7:30 PM. The concert is part of the STL Symphony in the City series. “his annual concert celebrates African-American cultures and traditions that have influenced the history of St. Louis, as well as cities around the world. Join conductor Kevin McBeth and the St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON chorus to commemorate influential leaders who helped shape history.” The concert takes place at Powell Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents the classic film Casablanca with the score performed live by the orchestra on Saturday, February 15, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, February 16, at 2 PM. "Cozy up next to your sweetheart Valentine’s weekend for this screening of the ultimate love story. The 1942 classic film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman will be played in its entirety with the score performed live by the STL Symphony. It’s the perfect date night for any couple - Here’s lookin’ at you, Kid.” The concert takes place at Powell Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Clarion Brass

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents The Clarion Brass on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 11 and 12, at 10 AM. “Composed of five of the best brass players St. Louis has to offer, the Clarion Brass captures the beauty and majesty of brass repertoire. Led by St. Louis favorite, trumpeter Mary Weber, Clarion Brass performs numerous concerts, educational master classes and private events throughout the St. Louis area.” The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a classical open stage night on Monday, February 10 from 7:30 – 9 PM. “Come by yourself or bring your quartet. Sight read through a Beethoven quartet or use this as an opportunity to put the finishing touches on that Hindemith Viola Sonata you have been working on. All ages and skill levels are welcome. We have a 6' grand piano and an accompanist.” The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.