Princeton Symphony Orchestra to Present the New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble and Princeton High School Choir

On Saturday, December 14, at 3pm and 6pm, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) Holiday POPS! concert celebrates the season with returns of the New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble and the Princeton High School Choir. The festive program features March of the Toys by Victor Herbert, "White Christmas" by Irving Berlin, "Waltz of the Flowers" from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, a polka by Johann Strauss Jr., Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride, and more. Of course, everyone is invited to join in the annual carol sing-along! Conductor Nell Flanders leads both performances, which take place at Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University.

The New Jersey Tap Ensemble previously appeared with the PSO in 2012 and 2016. The ensemble performs in costume during Victor Herbert's March of the Toys and takes center stage dancing Just Taps. Its members are dynamic adult tap dancers who love the art form, studying its history and pioneers. All of them teach tap classes throughout the state, passing on the art of tap to the next generation. The company has become known for artistic excellence in performance, development of tap artists, and developing new tap projects and programs.

The Princeton High School Choir has an unusually rich tradition of choral excellence that is unique among American high schools, performing extensively in North America and Europe and touring as representatives of Princeton, New Jersey. One of five performing ensembles, the 85 members of the choir are selected after careful audition of nearly two hundred and fifty voices in the high school's choral program. The choir performs Leroy Anderson's A Christmas Festival and the Jauchzet Chorus from Bach's Christmas Oratorio with the PSO, plus the traditional "Carol of the Bells."

Nell Flanders' conducting credits include performances with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, and The Chelsea Symphony. In her role as assistant conductor with the PSO, she has conducted the orchestra in the American Repertory Ballet's premiere of Beauty and the Beast at the State Theatre New Jersey and in concert at the Robert P. Marasco Center for the Performing Arts in Monroe Township. She was the assistant conductor for Peabody Opera Theater and served as cover conductor for JoAnn Falletta with the Buffalo Philharmonic. Ms. Flanders received a Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting from the Mannes School of Music-The New School. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in orchestral conducting with Marin Alsop at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore.

Tickets for the PSO's Holiday POPS! concert go fast, resulting in sold-out performances. Each concert has assigned seating at $60 and $45 levels, Youth - 50% discount available with adult purchase (all pricing includes handling fees). To order, visit princetonsymphony.org or call 609 / 497-0020.

On Thursday, December 12, at the Princeton Garden Theatre, PSO principal harpist André Tarantiles will be performing holiday music at 7 pm, prior to the theatre's 7:30 pm screening of Frank Capra's film classic It's a Wonderful Life. For tickets, go to princetongardentheatre.org.

In a Beat:

PSO Holiday POPS! Concert

Who:

Princeton Symphony Orchestra with the New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble and the Princeton High School Choir

What:

Rimsky-Korsakov "Dance of the Tumblers" from The Snow Maiden

Victor Herbert "March of the Toys" from Babes in Toyland

New Jersey Tap Ensemble Just Taps

Jari Villanueva "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"

Irving Berlin "White Christmas"
arr. Robert Russell Bennett

Traditional "Carol of the Bells"

Tchaikovsky "Waltz of the Flowers" from The Nutcracker

Handel "Pastoral Symphony" from The Messiah

J.S. Bach Christmas Oratorio

I. Jauchzet Chorus

J. Strauss II Éljen a Magyar, Op. 332

J. Strauss II Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Op. 214

Anderson A Christmas Festival

Anderson Sleigh Ride

When:

Saturday, December 14, 3 pm & 6 pm

Where:

Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University Campus

Tickets:

Assigned seating (pricing includes handling fees), $60 and $45 adults; Youth 50% discount with purchase of adult ticket (17 and under), available online at princetonsymphony.org or by phone at (609) 497-0020.

Richardson Auditorium is wheelchair accessible, and assistive-listening devices and large-print programs are available at the ADA desk in the lobby.

Calendar Listings:

Saturday, December 14, at 3 pm and 6 pm - Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) Holiday POPS! concert celebrates the season with returns of the New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble and the Princeton High School Choir. Program features March of the Toys by Victor Herbert, "White Christmas" by Irving Berlin, "Waltz of the Flowers" from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, a polka by Johann Strauss Jr., Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride, and more. Nell Flanders conducts. Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University Campus. Assigned Seating (pricing includes handling fees): Adults $60 and $45, Youth - 50% discount with adult purchase (17 and under). To order, visit princetonsymphony.org or call 609 / 497-0020.

Thursday, December 12, at 7 pm - It's a Wonderful Life - Princeton Symphony Orchestra principal harpist André Tarantiles performs holiday music prior to the Princeton Garden Theatre's 7:30 pm showing of the classic film starring James Stewart and Donna Reed. Movie tickets: princetongardentheatre.org.

Dates, times, programs, and artists subject to change.