The CSO's Annual Holiday Pops to Ring In the Season This December

An annual Columbus tradition since 1983, the CSO's Holiday Pops is the creation of chorus master and conductor Ronald Jenkins who has led all of its 100 performances to date. In 2016, Jenkins, the musicians of the Columbus Symphony, and vocalists of the Columbus Symphony Chorus, will be joined by the New World Singers of the Columbus Children's Choir, dancers Justin Gibbs and Joanie Evans, dancers from the BalletMet Academy, narrator Steven Crawford, and of course, Mr. and Mrs. Claus for this heartwarming holiday spectacular.

The Columbus Symphony presents Holiday Pops at the Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.) on Friday, December 2, at 8pm; Saturday, December 3, at 3pm and 8pm; and Sunday, December 4, at 3pm. Tickets are $25-$68 and can be purchased at the CAPA Ticket Center (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (614) 469-0939 or (800) 745-3000.

The 2016-17 Pops Series is made possible through the generous support of season sponsor American Electric Power.

The 2016 Holiday Pops program will open with Courtney's "Holiday Pops Overture," and will include "Gloria," "Light the Legend," and "Glory, Glory, Glory to the Newborn King." Dancers Justin Gibbs and Joanie Evans will be featured in Respighi's "L'Adroazione dei Magi" from Trittico Botticelliano. Act One will also include the Holiday Pops debut of CSO Acting Concertmaster Johanna Frankel as a featured soloist in "Ave Maria." The first half concludes with "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer: An Hystorical Review."

After intermission, the audience will be invited to participate in a sing-along of traditional carols, and enjoy the annual custom of selecting a child guest conductor from the audience to conduct the orchestra in Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride."

Narrator and chorus member Steven Crawford will be joined by children from BalletMet for a re-enactment of "The Night Before Christmas" supported by the colorful orchestration of Randol Bass.

The second half will also feature the New World Singers from the Columbus Children's Choir in "Deo Gracias" from Ceremony of Carols and Rutter's "Christmas Lullaby." Other featured works include "Do You Hear What I Hear?," "Jingle Bells," "Christmas Is," "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," and John Williams' "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" from Home Alone 2.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will make their 33rd appearance as part of the annual Holiday Pops celebration, closing out the program in grand holiday style. Santa will be available for photos in the lobby after both matinee performances.

www.ColumbusSymphony.com