South Florida Symphony Orchestra’s Handel’s Messiah and Holiday Pops at Barry University at Barry University Shepard & Ruth K. Broad Performing Arts Center

South Florida Symphony Orchestra (SFSO), led by Sebrina María Alfonso, returns to illuminate and inspire joy this holiday season with its beloved performances of Handel’s glorious Messiah (Part 1, the Christmas portion) culminating in the iconic “Hallelujah” chorus, and modern Holiday Pops favorites on December 7, at 4 p.m., at Barry University in Miami. SFSO will be joined by vocal soloists Katherine Henly (soprano), Maggie Reneé (mezzo-soprano), Christopher W. Waite (tenor), Neil Nelson (bass-baritone) and the South Florida Symphony Chorus. Enjoy a pre-concert chat with Dr. Alan Mason 30 minutes before the concerts, featuring in-depth conversation and insights about the works and composer.

SFSO’s 2025 holiday program will open with a selection of Holiday Pops festive favorites including “You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” “The Prayer” (as made popular by Andrea Bocelli), “You Make It Feel Like Christmas” (as made popular by Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani), “Christmas Canon” (made popular by Trans-Siberian Orchestra) and “Festive Sounds of Hanukkah.” Audiences are also invited to sing along to a special medley of cherished classics - "Jingle, Bells," "Silent Night," "Joy to the World" and more. 

Per tradition, SFSO will close the joyous evening with Part I of Handel’s Messiah culminating with the iconic “Hallelujah” chorus as sung by the South Florida Symphony Chorus, made-up of seasoned chorale singers and community talent, directed by Dr. Giselle Elgarresta Rios. Rios and Maestra Alfonso collaborated to create the South Florida Symphony Chorus in 2019, which made its debut at the Beethoven 250th celebration in February of 2020. 

SFSO’s 28th season of “Juxtapositions” explores beauty in contrasts, where the bold and the sublime intersect, and timeless masterpieces share the stage with today’s most compelling and celebrated musical voices. From Mozart’svivacious “Haffner” symphony to the sun-drenched skies of Mendelssohn’s “Italian” and the sweeping emotion of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto — performances burst with color and power. Beethoven’s luminous Piano Concerto No. 4 and Dvoák’s Bohemian Eighth deepen the journey, while Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol whirls with Spanish flair. SFSO is also proud to present upcoming orchestra firsts by GRAMMY-nominated composers, including the Florida premiere of Had to Be by Haitian-American Nathalie Joachim, featuring breakout cellist Seth Parker Woods, and Carlos Simon’s Four Black American Dances.

From sold-out masterworks performances to accompanying today’s musicians such as Natalie Merchant and performing modern musical scores including Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and Back to the Future, featuring the iconic films screened live with audio and musical accompaniment, South Florida’s largest symphonic orchestra is continuing its journey of excellence inspiring audiences of all ages and musical genres. Back by popular demand, SFSO will accompany ARRIVAL from Sweden: The Music of ABBA on Feb. 26 at the Broward Center. 

Tickets for Handel’s Messiah are on sale now beginning at $35. For the December 7 performance at Barry University’s Shepard & Ruth K. Broad Performing Arts Center (11300 NE 2nd Ave in Miami Shores), order online at southfloridasymphony.org/handels-messiah or via phone at (954) 522-8445. Student tickets and group rates are also available by calling (954) 522-8445 or emailing info@southfloridasymphony.org.