Maestro's Musings

The Kingston Symphony's Candlelight Christmas concert is just around the corner. There are so many Christmas concerts this time of year, but I truly believe this one will stand out because we’ve chosen the best of the best – the favourites in beautiful classical arrangements. The program also features my all-time favourite carol, In the Bleak Midwinter.

Candlelight Christmas, taking place at St. George's Cathedral December 21 and 22, will also include the opportunity for audience members to join in and sing along to the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah and traditional Carols such as Hark the Herald Angels Sing and the First Nowell.

We will also perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1. What does Beethoven have to do with Christmas you ask? Absolutely nothing. But this piece is a Christmas gift to myself. I chose this piece as a treat for myself, and a treat for the audience.

Queen’s University student Molly Luhta will be soprano soloist for the concert. Luhta, who is in fourth year and majoring in vocal performance, is the 2010 Queen’s University Aria competition winner. She will perform O Holy Night and Ave Maria as well as excerpts from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.

I think Christmas is a time of year that allows people to really connect, and music is what ties that connection together.

A little bird dropped this off in my e-mail this afternoon, and because it mentions me I thought I'd pass it along...

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the hall,
The musicians rehearsed... they were having a ball!
The tickets were printed and numbered with care,
But when December 21 and 22 come, will an audience be there?

"Don't worry," said the Maestro. "The tickets will sell."
"Candlelight will be the best concert this year, I can tell."
So the horns with their bells and violins with their bows,
Perfected the carols that everyone knows.

Then out in the lobby there arose such a clatter,
But everyone knew there was nothing the matter.
Away from the box office tickets flew like a flash,
Smiling patrons paying with credit cards and cash.

They bought symphony gift certificates and CDs, too.
Perfect gifts for music lovers, old and new.
Then what to the Maestro's eyes should appear?
A concert hall full of people... but sorry, no reindeer.

With his little baton, so lively and quick,
The Maestro kept time, tick, tock, tock, tick.
Quicker than Beethoven the symphony played,
The musicians all smiled at the joy they'd made.

"Now percussion, now winds, now brass, now strings!
Let's play this allegro, let's make sure it rings!"
"Orchestra and choir, just follow my cue,
Let's make these old songs sound youthful and new!"

The audience pondered the music they heard,
Thought of life without a symphony, oh how absurd.
So they reached into their pockets, donations to make,
These would count for the 2010 tax year, make no mistake.

The Choral Society sang songs of the season,
The orchestra played with passion and reason.
Then the Maestro exclaimed so the audience could hear,
"Merry Christmas to all, thanks for a great year!"

P.S. Here's a link to the latest Word from the Maestro video:
Candlelight Christmas