December 3, 2016 @ 7:30 pm and December 4, 2016 @ 2:00 pm

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The Folsom Lake Symphony’s annual holiday concert will kick-start your celebratory mood Dec. 4 and 5 with “Holiday Cheer,” a repertoire of musical treasures and traditions. The performance features both the American River College Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, under the direction of Dr. Ralph Hughes, and mezzo-soprano Alexandra Schenck as guest soloist.

Schenck, a music graduate from Long Beach State University and diplomate from Philadelphia’s prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts, will sing “The Little Drummer Boy,” “O Chanukah,” “White Christmas,” “Una voca poco fa,” “O Holy Night” and other tunes. Schenck won grand prize in the Pasadena Opera Guild’s Young Artist Award and was a semi-finalist in the Loren Zachary Competition. She has performed at festivals in Macau, Aspen and Italy.

The ARC choir, led by Dr. Hughes, music professor and the choir’s artistic director and conductor, will sing “Good Ale,” “Donkey Waltz” and pieces from The Messiah, Chichester Psalms and more. Hughes also is the music director for the Sacramento Master Singers.

The evening’s lineup is a varied one:

Die Fledermaus overture from the operetta by Johann Strauss Jr. The story, encompassing farce and humor, centers around a New Year’s Eve masked ball, which the characters attend in costume – in German, die Fledermaus translates to “the bat.” The work premiered in Berlin in 1851 and has remained popular for contemporary audiences, particularly appealing to people who consider true opera a bit too “highbrow.” You’ll recognize many of the musical themes.

“And the Glory of the Lord” from George Frideric Handel’s Messiah. The ARC choir sings this chorus from  what has become almost an essential holiday presentation. Handel based his oratorio on text from the King James Bible and the Psalms. The work premiered in Dublin in 1742. 

Il tamborillero (The Little Drummer Boy), written by Katherine Kennicott Davis and arranged by Henry Oratorio and Harry Simeone. This stirring Christmas tune was first recorded in 1941 by the Trapp Family Singers and has been produced by scores of artists since – including the 2016 Nobel prize recipient Bob Dylan. The piece, based on a traditional Czech carol, was originally titled “Carol of the Drum.”

“Habanera” and “Seguidilla” from the opera Carmen by George Bizet. From its opening in Paris in March 1875, the tale of immorality and lawlessness scandalized its audiences. Bizet died without seeing the international acclaim his masterpiece would eventually receive. The aria “Habanera” marks the entrance of the title character. A seguidilla is an old Castillian folksong in quick triple time. In the opera, the “Seguidilla” aria is Carmen’s attempt to seduce her captor, Don Jose.

“O Chanukah,” arranged by James Kessler. Originally written in Yiddish, this traditional, playful holiday tune is a children’s favorite.