Looking for a little musical cheer? There's many holiday concerts
We now offer a second installment highlighting several of this season's holiday concerts, scheduled for this weekend through Dec. 23.
Last week we previewed the Elgin Symphony Orchestra's second annual "Holiday Showcase at the Sears Centre," set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The centerpiece of the wide-ranging program will be the ESO, under the baton of music director Robert Hanson, along with a special Holiday Festival Chorus numbering in the hundreds.
We learned this week that the Elgin Choral Union and the Elgin Children's Choir will be joined for this choral ensemble by area high school and college singers representing Streamwood High School, Elgin Academy, St. Edward High School, Schaumburg High School, Fenton High School and Glenbard North High School, plus the Harper College Choir.
Hanson will lead the orchestra and chorus in a variety of holiday selections, with the program also including jugglers and aerialists from the Cirque du Soleil, ice dancers Gregory and Petukhov and the Chicago Jazz Synchronized Ice Skating Troupe. Also taking part will be soprano Diane Penning and tenor Benjamin Brecher.
Individual tickets start at $17 for children and $29 for adults. Tickets are available at the Sears Centre box office, select AMCORE Banklocations, by phone at (888) SEARSTIX (732-7784), online at searscentre.com or at the door.
Bella Voce: The Chicago-area a cappella ensemble Bella Voce will begin its 25th anniversary season during the next two weekends with a holiday program titled "Baltic Solstice."
Under the baton of artistic director Andrew Lewis, the ensemble will offer this concert at 4 p.m. Sunday at The Presbyterian Church of Barrington, 6 Brinker Rd., Barrington; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at St. Procopius Abbey, 5601 College Rd., Lisle; and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18 in its debut performance at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park.
"With the 'Baltic Solstice' program, Bella Voce continues its tradition of adventurous and award-winning programming by presenting the esteemed Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara's stunning masterpiece, 'Magnificat,' the renowned Estonian composer Arvo Pärt's sublime 'O Antiphons' and a new work by Estonian composer Urmas Sisask," Lewis said.
Tickets for the Barrington and Lisle concerts are $25 for general admission, $35 for premium seating, $18 for seniors and $15 for students. For phone orders, call (312) 479-1096, or to purchase tickets online, visit www.bellavoce.org.
For the Harris Theater concert, general admission is $40. Tickets are on sale at the Harris Theater Box office at (312) 334-7777 or online at www.harristheaterchicago.org.
Chicago a cappella: This season's holiday concerts by this renowned vocal ensemble, "Holidays a cappella: The Season of Light," will present works ranging from Gregorian chant and Renaissance music by Thomas Tallis to spirituals and new arrangements of familiar Christmas and Hanukkah songs.
"Holidays a cappella: The Season of Light" will take place at 8 p.m. today at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Michigan Avenue at Delaware in Chicago; 8 p.m. Saturday at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake Street in Oak Park; and 4 p.m. Sunday at Community United Methodist Church, 20 N. Center St., Naperville.
Tickets are $35 and $28, with $22 admission for seniors (62 and over) and students (23 and under). For tickets, free audio samples and more information, visit www.chicagoacappella.org or call (773) 755-1628.
Chicago Symphony Chorus: "Welcome Yule!" the CSO Chorus' annual holiday concerts, will be given in eight performances from Dec. 14-23 at Symphony Center/Orchestra Hall, 220 S. Michigan Ave.
In its 13th season and conducted by Duain Wolfe, "Welcome Yule!" is a full-length concert featuring the CSO Chorus, members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Midwest Young Artists Voices Rising and the Welcome Yule! Dance Ensemble.
Concert times are 7 p.m. Dec. 14 and 21; 3 p.m. Dec. 15 and 22; and 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Dec. 16 and 23.
Tickets are generally $20 to $94, depending on date and availability, and are available at www.cso.org or by calling the Symphony Center box office at (800) 223-7114 or (312) 294-3000.