Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra Presents
“Deck the Halls”
(LINCOLN, Neb. – November 22, 2019) Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra welcomes you to get into the holiday spirit with their annual holiday concert, “Deck the Halls,” on Sunday, Dec. 8. Shows begin at 2:00pm and 6:00pm at the Lied Center for Performing Arts.
Concert-goers will be treated to a wide variety of seasonal favorites, led by guest conductor Lucas Waldin.
“I’m thrilled to be making my LSO debut this holiday season,” says Waldin. “It’s my favorite time of year, especially because of the music which always takes me back to my childhood. Our concert will be packed with everything from popular hits like White Christmas and Winter Wonderland to traditional favorites like The Nutcracker and Sleigh Ride. Joining the LSO will be a variety of exciting local talent, including singers, dancers, and the exceptionally talented winner of the annual Young Artist Competition, Jonah Payne. Looking forward to spreading some holiday cheer with your LSO!”
Bell-issimo, a Lincoln-based, audition-only handbell choir, will add its own sparkle to the program. They will be featured on arrangements of The First Noël, White Christmas, and Go Tell it On the Mountain, as well as a special holiday processional.
Local dance studios Dancing Beyond Limits, Chase the Spirit of Dance, and Luxe Dance Academy will also join the symphony for creative reimaginings of March of the Toys, The Nutcracker, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
“Chase the Spirit of Dance and Dancing Beyond Limits are so very honored to be invited back for a 3rd year with LSO! To be able to dance with such an incredible group of musicians is a dancer’s dream come true!” said Chase the Spirit of Dance studio Director Stephanie Chase. “Collaborating with Luxe Dance Academy just adds more excitement and a unique blend of different genres to the great selections on the program.”
Soprano Talea Bloch will sing several songs with LSO, including Gesù Bambino, White Christmas, and the Christmas Carol Sing-Along. Over one hundred students from Lincoln Suzuki Studios will also make a special appearance, performing familiar holiday tunes in Holiday String-Along, an arrangement by LSO’s own Kara Leigh Baxter.
Jonah Payne, this year’s Young Artist Competition winner, will join the orchestra in a performance of Liam Teague’s The Visit for tenor steelpan, orchestrated by Jamie Wind Whitmarsh. Payne, a junior percussion performance major at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, currently studies percussion with Dr. Dave Hall and steelpan with Louis Raymond-Kolker. Payne won the chance to perform with the symphony after a competitive audition in September.
“To me, an orchestra represents all that’s best about a community, and never is this more true than at LSO’s annual ‘Deck the Halls’ concerts,” says LSO Executive Director Barbara Zach Lee. “We are overjoyed to have such incredible talent in Lincoln, and it’s such a pleasure to welcome these local groups to share the stage with their orchestra, performing some of the most beloved holiday music.”
Santa Claus will make an appearance at both performances, and will be available for free pictures in the Ticketholder’s Lobby before each performance and during intermission. This free photo opportunity is supported by JamesAnn Photography.
LSO will be collecting non-perishable foods for the Lincoln Food Bank at the concert; concert-goers are encouraged to drop off their donations in the marked Food Bank barrel in the Lied Center lobby.
Tickets for the concert are available for purchase online at www.lincolnsymphony.com, by phone at (402) 476‑2211, or by visiting Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra’s box office (233 S. 13th St., Ste. 1702).
To stay current with symphony events, follow Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and don’t forget to use #LSOLove while visiting the free JamesAnn Photography photobooth during intermission.
In an effort to make all LSO concerts financially accessible, LSO’s tickets are available for only $15 or $35 each for adults, inclusive of all ticketing and facility fees. Tickets for youth ages 17 and under are available for $5 each, made possible by the Lienemann Charitable Foundation.
Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra’s 2019-2020 season sponsors are Immanuel Communities and Union Bank & Trust. The concert sponsors for Deck the Halls are Assurity and Dietze Music, with media support by B107.3 and KLIN 1400. The Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment also provided generous support toward Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra’s 2019-2020 season.
Media contact:
Barbara Zach Lee: 402.476.2211, Barbara@lincolnsymphony.com
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