Symphony, Chorale Deliver A Big Dose Of Holiday Cheer Concert Also Includes Beautiful Christmas Religious Music
Spokane Symphony and Chorale’s Holiday Pops Saturday, Dec. 13, Opera House
Dressed in their holiday best, throngs of Spokane Symphony fans turned out Saturday night to be escorted musically into the Christmas season.
The symphony, along with the Spokane Symphony Chorale and the Spokane Area Children’s Chorus, did not disappoint.
From upbeat pop pieces such as “Winter Wonderland” to the haunting “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” the three groups delivered both high-spirited holiday cheer and solemn Christmas introspection.
They reminded listeners that this time of year is for both revelry and respect.
The evening of music was divided into two themes: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
For Christmas Eve, a homey couch was placed stage-center.
The symphony’s associate conductor, Jung-Ho Pak, acted like a host, welcoming the symphony and chorale members to “his house” for an evening gathering.
The children from the chorus scampered in, clad in pajamas.
Between songs, Pak chitchatted amiably about holiday spirit, football and Christmas shopping. He then took the symphony through enjoyable excerpts from “The Nutcracker” - the delicate “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” the plucky “Chinese Tea” and the rambunctious “Russian Trepak.”
The children were superb, especially when their aerial voices took on an upbeat gospel jauntiness as they sang out, “Children, go where I send thee.”
The men of the chorale toured through Mel Torme’s “Christmas Song.” Although their voices sounded rich, the song was a bit sleepy and lackluster.
Then, as the children gathered round, Rick Douglas of KHQ News read “The Night Before Christmas” set to the symphony’s lovely accompaniment.
For the Christmas Day portion of the show, the couch was replaced by a church pew and the children came dressed in their Sunday best.
The selections took on a somber air at times, befitting a religious service.
The chorale’s “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” was superb in its poignant beauty and the “Hallelujah Chorus” was a rousing favorite.
Also a standout was the brass choir’s “While by my Sheep.” Arranged by William Berry, the 16th-century German folk carol moved from spirited to stately and back again as the horns - split between the stage and an upper tier - called back and forth to one another.
The show ended with a Christmas carol sing-along including portions of “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “The First Noel,” “Jingle Bells” and “Joy to the World.”
“If you’re a good voice, join us for this medley,” Pak joked with the audience.
And in the end, the audience seemed to hold up to his standard.
, DataTimes