Raritan Valley Symphonic Band – Annual Holiday Concert
“Holiday Traditions”
Sunday December 12 @ 3 pm
The Raritan Valley Symphonic Band under the direction of Dr. Christopher Sumner proudly presents its annual holiday concert “Holiday Traditions” on Sunday, December 12 at 3 PM. The concert will be held at Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, 128 Merriwood Road, Bridgewater.
RVSB is thrilled to continue its return season with holiday favorites that we know will enrich this joyous season for our audience. For starters, one of the most popular tunes heard on the radio or at the mall is The Mannheim Steamroller Orchestra’s rendition of “Carol of the Bells”. The program continues with “Horse and Buggy” by the great Leroy Anderson. While not intended for the holidays, our Music Director Dr. Christopher Sumner indicates, “When I first heard it all I could think of was being in New York City hearing the horses trotting by Rockefeller Center in December.”
The program also includes the season’s traditional “Greensleeves” (“What Child is This?”) which dates to the Renaissance period. “Parade of the Tin Soldiers”, made popular by the Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall, and JS Bach’s “Sleepers Awake” will be performed, while Hanukkah is celebrated with Reisteter’s “The Eighth Candle”. Medleys from the popular movies Home Alone and The Polar Express include seasonal favorites. New Year’s “Auld Lang Syne” can be heard in “An Old Scottish Melody.”
The program concludes with the two Anderson favorites “Sleigh Ride” and “A Christmas Festival” and is sure to leave the audience in great spirits as they head out to continue to celebrate the time of year with their own personal holiday traditions.
RVSB comprises about 50 musicians from the northern and central New Jersey area. Band membership includes professional musicians and music educators, as well as amateur musicians ranging in age from high school through retirees.
As always, admission to the concert is FREE. To provide a safe environment for all attendees and the RVSB, the following precautions are mandatory:
- Masks must be worn by all attendees at all times.
- All attendees must be vaccinated.
- Auditorium seating will be limited to every other row.
This concert is funded, in part, by a grant from the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission. For more information about the band please visit www.rvsb.org.
