Best bets: Elgin Symphony Orchestra, sounds of the season, holiday hilarity

ESO celebrates the holidays

• Elgin Symphony Orchestra and the Elgin Master Chorale perform Yuletide favorites under conductor Chad Goodman at The Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $41.30-$69. rauecenter.org. 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13

• Goodman, the ESO and the chorale follow Friday’s performance with the annual holiday spectacular at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. $20-$65. (847) 888-4000 or elginsymphony.org. 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15

More sounds of the season

• The Newberry Consort performs Christmas carols from its “Latin American Christmas” concerts. The program includes music from Guatemala, Chile, Mexico and other nations. Musicologist Paul G. Feller-Simmons leads a free, preconcert discussion one hour before each concert. $45, $65 for preferred seating, $25 for affordable access tickets, $10 for students with a valid student ID, free for ages 16 and younger. newberryconsort.org. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, 4220 N. Sheridan Ave., Chicago; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 939 Hinman Ave., Evanston; 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., Chicago

• Chelsea Tipton II conducts the Chicago Sinfonietta and guest vocalist Alfreda Burke in a “Holidays of Joy” concert at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. The program includes such favorites as “Sleigh Ride,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” along with songs from around the world. $27-$57 for adults; $17 for students. chicagosinfonietta.org. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19

‘Nutcracker’ on ice

Creative Ice Theatre presents “The Nutcracker on Ice” at Seven Bridges Ice Arena, 6690 Illinois Route 53, Woodridge. Founded in 2013 by Marina Gromova and Yevgeny Martynov, Creative Ice Theatre offers skaters a chance to compete nationally and internationally and perform locally in semiannual theatrical productions. $25-$40. creativeicetheatre.com. 1 and 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14; 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15

Holiday hilarity

Ana Belaval of WGN’s “Morning Show, Zanies Comedy Club regular Jeanie Doogan and New York City veteran Chelsea Hood are the comedians headlining the “Jingle Moms Comedy” show at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. John DaCosse hosts the showcase. Tickets range from $30 to $45 for nonmembers; $21 to $31.50 for RaueNOW members. (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org. 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14

Taptastic ‘Winter Wonderland’

Members of Chicago Tap Theatre, M.A.D.D. Rhythms and their students team up with Chicago area jazz musicians for Chicago Tap Allstars’ “Winter Wonderland” at the Harold Washington Cultural Center, 4701 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Chicago. $30, $75 VIP tickets. chicagotaptheatre.com or maddrhythms.com. 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14

AIRMW at 10

Asian Improv aRts Midwest (AIRMW) and Tsukasa Taiko, together with director, multi-instrumentalist Tatsu Aoki celebrate a decade of “Reduction” concerts with “Reduction 10” at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago. The “Reduction” series showcases the “convergence of classical and contemporary music and jazz traditions with traditional Japanese instrumentation.” Composer/flutist Nicole Mitchell and percussionists Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang — who all performed in the first “Reduction” concert — reunite for the celebration. A second celebration, titled “Taiko Legacy,” follows. It showcases compositions by Tsukasa Taiko that incorporate ozashiki (geisha chamber music), ohayashi (classical/folk/theater music) and matsuri taiko (festival taiko music). $20 per concert. airmw.org. 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, (“Reduction 10”); 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, (“Taiko Legacy”)

Family-friendly circus

CirquesExperience presents the “Nutcracker”-themed “Wheel Thru The Season,” a family-friendly circus performance featuring acrobatics, gymnastics and circus wheel performances at the Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway, Chicago. The event also includes a holiday market with ornament and snowflake-making zones, treats and other activities. $15-$80. cirquesexperience.org. 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, (holiday market opens at 3 p.m.)