Another Madison Symphony Christmas has concluded! Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 99th season’s holiday concert weekend. We were so lucky to feature soloists Vanessa Becerra and Craig Irvin, the Madison Symphony Chorus, the Madison Youth Choirs, and the Mt. Zion Gospel Choir. We also hosted pre-concert lobby caroling for all the performances and had a Free Community Carol Sing on Saturday morning led by MSO Principal Organist Greg Zelek with guest percussionist Mike Koszewski. Read below for reviews and photos (coming soon)!
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MSO makes music and merriment in ‘A Madison Symphony Christmas’
Noah Fellinger // Cap Times
The Madison Symphony Orchestra rang in the holiday season with their annual concert, “A Madison Symphony Christmas,” on Friday evening, brimming with good cheer.
In the spirit of the season, members of the Madison Symphony Chorus greeted symphony-goers with Christmas carols in the lobby prior to the show — a small taste of what was to come. The chorus would later join the MSO on stage for the evening’s festivities.
Also joining the orchestra were the Madison Youth Choirs and the Mount Zion Gospel Choir, alongside classical singers Vanessa Becerra (soprano) and Craig Irvin (baritone). Between a varied roster and a vast repertoire, the concert was a quiltwork of diverse sounds and traditions.
The concert began with a chest-swelling rendition of “Joy to the World,” replete with angelic vocals by the chorus and dashes of brilliant arpeggios from organist Greg Zelek. Midway through the song, members of the youth choirs streamed into the aisles with candles in hand. On maestro John DeMain’s cue, they enveloped the hall in glowing harmony.
Read the full review on The Cap Times’ website
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MSO Christmas is a candle in the darkness
By Bill Wineke//Madison Independent Arts Review
At a time when reading the morning headlines makes one want to go back to bed and stay there until “it” is over, the Madison Symphony Orchestra Christmas con concert is a beacon of happiness reminding us that there’s a lot of good cheer out there.
The concerts, which will be repeated Saturday night and Sunday afternoon – and which are sold out – are always pretty spectacular events.
But, this year, they seem even more brimming with vitality than usual.
The program begins with the Madison Symphony Choirs singing “Joy to the World.”
Traditionally, members of the youth choir carry battery-operated candles and line the aisles for the first song. This year, they almost appear out of nowhere and move down the aisles in double-time.
That sets the stage for the entire program which just keeps moving through classical music, Christmas carols and a special display of the Overture Concert Organ, which, like the Overture Center itself, is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
But, if one thing could symbolize all this enthusiasm, it is the singing of soprano Vanessa Becerra. Listening to her makes one happy the roof of Overture Hall is connected to the walls, because otherwise she would blow it off.
OK, that’s a cliché. But we are used to hearing pretty good singing in Madison and Becerra – who was introduced to the city in the 2022 Opera in the Park –is a step above.
She and tenor Craig Irvin – who sang the role of Jochanaan in the Madison Opera production of “Salome” in 2022 – made a great combination leading Christmas carols They seemed to be having a great time and that led the audience to have a great time.
The Christmas program is always a combination of classical hits and modern carols.
This year, as I suggested above, everything seemed to move more briskly than usual. As a result, the concert, which started at 7:30 and ended at 10, seemed to fly by.
As always, there were a lot of musicians and singers on the stage. The orchestra has about 100 musicians. The Symphony Chorus has 150 or so more. The Youth Choirs have another 130 (that’s as many as could fit on the stage). The Mount Zion Gospel Choir fielded only 10, but more than made up for it with enthusiasm. They, too, are celebrating their 20th anniversary Christmas concert this year.
And some traditions remain. The youth choirs with candles open the program as they always do, even if they were a little more in rapid motion this year. Conductor John DeMain leads the house in singing the “Hallelujah” chorus from Handel’s “Messiah” and, as he does every year, suggests that those in the audience who don’t know the words or can’t carry the tune might like to not sing.
The main thing, however, is that no matter how little spirit you feel going into the concert, when it ends, you are up for the holidays.
Hear what the audience had to say…
“I enjoyed the entire experience. I smiled throughout the concert. This the third year we attended the Holiday Concert. It is now a tradition we will continue for years to come.”
“Each year my wife, son, and I attend the Christmas performance. We’ve enjoyed the past performances and feel it helps us all get into the holiday spirit.”
“Wow, there are simply no words to describe this year’s performance. From the first Joy To The World, we knew we were in for something special. We’ve attended the Christmas concert for several years now, and this truly was the BEST EVER!! The “On Christmas Night”, featuring the organ literally brought me to tears. I was not familiar with this piece and hope that it becomes an annual part of the program. Each piece was spectacular, the soloists delightful and the Mt Zion choir a favorite as always.”
“It was beautifully done and was worth the drive from Chicago”
“To literally see the number of members in the youth and HS choirs. To hear all members singing together with the soloists too. Because Saint Saens’ Symphony #3 is a favorite here at home, the whole orchestra and organ was thrilling, overwhelming, very moving. Thanks! This was my first time. I want to come again.”
“I love this show. We have been coming as a family since 2016. This is our favorite holiday tradition.”
