NEWS RELEASE
Date: February 1, 2019
For Immediate Release
Photos Available Upon Request
Contact: Lexi Locke
Phone: 417.864.6683
Cell: 417.860.9690
lexi@springfieldmosymphony.org
Springfield Symphony collaborates with surrounding schools for annual holiday concert
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Springfield Symphony is joining forces with over 300 choir members from surrounding rural and private schools at its annual Holiday pops concert on Saturday, December 8 at 7:30 pm at Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. The orchestra will be led by music director/conductor Kyle Wiley Pickett, and will feature music from holiday classics “Miracle on 34th Street,” “The Polar Express,” “Elf,” and more!
“Playing the music from many of these perennial favorites is going to be a real highlight of the season for the orchestra and for me,” said Pickett. “I know our audiences will be thrilled to hear the themes from their favorite Christmas movies and remember watching them as a child or with their children or grandchildren. We will also be joined by the combined choirs from New Covenant Academy and Ozark, Republic and Willard High Schools who will sing many of your Holiday favorites!”
In Pickett’s preparation, he contemplated how he and his family get themselves into the holiday spirit. “There are lots of ways to get into the holiday spirit,” stated Pickett. “Our family’s traditions include decorating the house, driving around looking at our neighbors’ light displays, baking (and eating!) Christmas cookies, and, of course, listening to Christmas music. I know it’s definitely Christmas-time when we start watching all of our favorite holiday movies. We have a family tradition to watch some of the same ones every year. The sweet, simple stories like “The Grinch,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” have been favorites since our kids were little. Sometime around Thanksgiving they start begging to watch these holiday movies, and then all of a sudden we realize the Christmas season and spirit has arrived. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear some of the most beloved holiday music with your family and friends at the Springfield Symphony!”
Pre-concert music will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are currently on sale at the Juanita K. Hammons Hall box office, and can be purchased by calling (417) 836-7678 or online at www.missouristatetix.com. Ticket prices range from $10 – $40 and discounts are available for students and seniors.
Pickett is available for any interviews or questions. Please feel free to email him at kwpickett@gmail.com or call at (417) 837-9422. The concert is being sponsored by Reliable Superstore (Presenting Sponsor), CoxHealth, Hiland Dairy, Digital Lunchbox, Mediacom, and 105.9FM KGBX.
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation and an Equal Opportunity Employer. Additional funding for all Springfield Symphony Orchestra programming is provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. For more information, visit www.springfieldmosymphony.org or www.facebook.com/springfieldsymphony.
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