HSO Holiday Pops! Spectacular Will Mark

Debut Of New Family Offering

HARTFORD — Music lovers of all ages will thrill to the spectacle of the season during Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Pops! Spectacular on Saturday, December 9, at 8 pm, and Sunday, December 10, at 3 pm, at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.

Guest ensembles will include The Hartford Chorale, members of Greater Middletown Chorale and Connecticut Children’s Chorus, led by HSO Music Director Edward Cumming.

The program will include the following selections: Anderson’s “Christmas Festival Overture” and “Sleigh Ride”; excerpts from Poulenc’s Gloria; Bach’s Ave Maria; Prokoviev – “Troika” from Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kije; “Shepherd’s Chorus” from Shepherd’s L’Enfance du Christ; selections from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker; “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah; Hanukkah Festival Overture by Richman; “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth” by Gardner-Cerulli; the traditional “12 Days of Christmas,” arranged by Mr Cumming; and sing-alongs of “Joy To The World,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “The First Noel” and “White Christmas.”

Tickets for the sparkling holiday celebration, which will also feature visits from Santa Claus, range from $23 to $60 for adults, $10 for children, and are available through HSO Ticket Services, 860-244-2999 or HartfordSymphony.org. Discounts are available for groups of ten or more; call for details.

Prior to Sunday’s performance, beginning at 2 pm in the Bushnell’s lobby and The Seaverns Room, there will be a number of interactive musical activities for children including HSO’s Instrument Zoo, holiday crafts, games, and a pre-concert performances featuring students from The Hartt School Community Division. The pre-concert activities are free for all ticket holders.