Program Notes: A Colorado Christmas

HOLIDAY 2023/24 A COLORADO CHRISTMAS WITH YOUR COLORADO SYMPHONY CHRISTOPHER DRAGON, conductor DEVIN DESANTIS, vocalist COLORADO SYMPHONY CHORUS, MARY LOUISE BURKE, director COLORADO CHILDREN’S CHORALE, EMILY CRILE, artistic director Friday, December 8, 2023 at 7:30pm Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 2:30pm Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 6:00pm Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 1:00pm Boettcher Concert Hall ARR. SAMUEL LANCASTER

O Come, All Ye Faithful

ARR. ROBERT PAGE

Joy, Joy, Joy

BENJAMIN BRITTEN from Ceremony of Carols

Hodie This Little Babe LOWRY/GREENE ARR. HANSEN

Mary, Did You Know

ARR. ROBERT SIEVING

Kling, Glöckchen, Kling

LEONTOVICH ARR. WILHOUSKY

Carol of the Bells

ARR. MATT RILEY

Carol of the Bells— God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

ARR. GARY FRY

On the Christmas Star

ARR. GARY FRY

Sing We Joyous

GARY FRY

Twas the Night Before Christmas — INTERMISSION — Friday’s concert is dedicated to 5280 Magazine The Saturday afternoon performance is dedicated to Merle Chambers The Saturday evening performance is dedicated to DaVita Sunday’s performance is dedicated to Jan V. Eyer & Charles Schwab

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

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PROGRAM I

HOLIDAY 2023/24

POLA/WYLIE ARR. HAYES

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

DUAIN WOLFE/ GARY FRY

Christmas on Top of the World

LEROY ANDERSON

Sleigh Ride

DR. SEUSS/ALBERT HAGUE ARR. SMITH

You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

SAMUEL LANCASTER

Christmas in Colorado

FELIX BERNARD ARR. CUSTER

Winter Wonderland

PASEK/PAUL ARR. HUFF

That Christmas Morning Feelin’

GANNON/KENT ARR. FRY

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

ARR. DAVIS/CUSTER

Stille Nacht

ARR. SAMUEL LANCASTER

Children, Go Where I Send Thee

ARR. GARY FRY

Good Night and Merry Christmas Special appearance by Brad and Susie Bolton Special thanks to Phil Hiester, lighting designer

CONCERT RUN TIME IS APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS WITH A 20 MINUTE INTERMISSION

FIRST TIME TO THE SYMPHONY? SEE PAGE 19 OF THIS PROGRAM FOR FAQ’S TO MAKE YOUR EXPERIENCE GREAT!

PROGRAM II

C O LO R A D O S Y M P H O N Y.O R G

HOLIDAY BIOGRAPHIES CHRISTOPHER DRAGON, conductor Australian conductor Christopher Dragon is the Music Director of the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra and Resident Conductor of the Colorado Symphony. He joined the Colorado Symphony in the 2015/2016 Season as Associate Conductor – a position he held for four years. For three years prior, Dragon held the inaugural position of Assistant Conductor with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, which gave him the opportunity to work closely with Principal Conductor Asher Fisch.

Dragon has a versatile portfolio ranging from live-to-picture performances including Nightmare Before Christmas, Toy Story and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, a wide variety of collaborations with artists such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Cynthia Erivo and Joshua Bell, to standard and contemporary orchestral repertoire such as Danny Elfman’s Violin Concerto, Eleven Eleven; all areas of which he has become highly sought after. Christopher has become known for his charisma, high energy and affinity for a good costume, consistently delivering unforgettable performances that has made him an audience favourite.

Recent highlights include his successful debut with the San Francisco Symphony, performances of Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton with Danny Elfman reprising the role of Jack Skellington and historic performances with Nathaniel Rateliff at Walt Disney Concert Hall and David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Upcoming debuts include the WRD Funkhausorchester, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Greensboro Symphony Orchestra.

Christopher is highly sought after as a guest conductor and has worked with San Francisco Symphony, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Utah Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, Modesto Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica de Porto Alegre and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. In Australia, he has guest conducted the Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras. His 2015 debut performance at the Sydney Opera House with John Pyke and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra was released on album by ABC Music and won an ARIA the following year He has also conducted at numerous festivals including the Breckenridge and Bangalow Music Festivals, with both resulting in immediate re-invitations. At the beginning of 2016 Dragon conducted Wynton Marsalis’ Swing Symphony as part of the Perth International Art Festival alongside Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Christopher began his conducting studies in 2011 and was a member of the prestigious Symphony Services International Conductor Development Program in Australia under the guidance of course director Christopher Seaman. He has also studied with numerous distinguished conductors including Leonid Grin, Paavo and Neeme Jarvi at the Jarvi Summer Festival, Fabio Luisi at the Pacific Music Festival and conducting pedagogue Jorma Panula.

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PROGRAM III

HOLIDAY BIOGRAPHIES DEVIN DESANTIS, vocalist & co-director for A Colorado Christmas Devin DeSantis is a Jeff nominated artist who is regarded as one of Chicago’s leading theatrical vocalists. He has been honored to work with symphonies and theatre companies around the country and the world.

And it all began here—at Boettcher Concert Hall, as a member of the Colorado Children’s Chorale. His solo career began with the Colorado Symphony at the age of eleven in Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, conducted by Marin Alsop. He’s a proud graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Music, as well as a proud member of Actor’s Equity on stages in Chicago, New York, and other wonderfully essential Equity houses around the country. Favorite professional theatre credits include: Charlie Price in Kinky Boots, Tommy in The Who’s Tommy, Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods, Marius in Les Miserables, Prince Eric in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Britt Craig/Young Soldier in Parade, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, Dr. Madden/Fine in Next to Normal, Anyone Can Whistle starring Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald, and The Most Happy Fella starring George Hearn. He was a singer for four years in The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes at the world-renowned Radio City Music Hall. In between concerts and shows, he is a lead singer with the Bluewater Kings Band, a member of The Four C Notes: a Tribute to Franki Valli and the Four Seasons, and an adoption consultant with RG Adoption Consulting—helping people all over the country grow their families through adoption. Above all, he is a loving husband and proud father. Have courage and be kind.

COLORADO SYMPHONY CHORUS The 2023/24 Colorado Symphony concert season marks the 40th season of the Colorado Symphony Chorus. Founded in 1984 by Duain Wolfe at the request of Gaetano Delogu, then the Music Director of the Symphony, the chorus has grown into a nationally respected ensemble. This outstanding chorus of volunteers joins the Colorado Symphony for numerous performances each year, to repeated critical acclaim.

The Chorus has performed at noted music festivals in the Rocky Mountain region, including the Colorado Music Festival, the Grand Teton Music Festival, and the Bravo! Vail Music Festival, where it has performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Dallas Symphony, under conductors Alan Gilbert, Hans Graf, Jaap van Zweden, Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Fabio Luisi. For over twenty five years, the Chorus was featured at the world-renowned Aspen Music Festival, performing many great masterworks under the baton of conductors Lawrence Foster, James Levine, Murry Sidlin, Leonard Slatkin, David Zinman, and Robert Spano.

Among the eight recordings the Colorado Symphony Chorus has made is a NAXOS release of Roy Harris’s Symphony No. 4. The Chorus is also featured on a Hyperion release of the Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem and Stephen Hough’s Missa Mirabilis. Most recently, the Colorado Symphony and Chorus released a world-premiere recording of William Hill’s The Raven.

PROGRAM IV

C O LO R A D O S Y M P H O N Y.O R G

HOLIDAY BIOGRAPHIES In 2009, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the chorus, Duain Wolfe conducted the chorus on a three-country, two-week concert tour of Europe, presenting the Verdi Requiem in Budapest, Vienna, Litomysl and Prague; in 2016 the chorus returned to Europe for concerts in Paris, Strasbourg and Munich featuring the Fauré Requiem. In the summer of 2022, the Chorus toured Austria, performing to great acclaim in Vienna, Graz and Salzburg.

MARY LOUISE BURKE, creative director for A Colorado Christmas & principal associate director, Colorado Symphony Chorus Mary Louise Burke is in her 30th season as Principal Associate Director of the Colorado Symphony Chorus. In addition to assisting Chorus Director Duain Wolfe, she also prepares the chorus for various Colorado Symphony pops concerts and special projects, including Too Hot to Handel. In the summer of 2022, she conducted the Symphony chorus on their concert tour of Austria. She has worked as the Associate Director of the Colorado Children’s Chorale, participating in hundreds of concerts and dozens of the Chorale’s regional, national and international tours. She was also Vocal Director of the Children’s Chorale, where she provided specialized vocal coaching and opera preparation. With an expertise in vocal technique, Burke frequently conducts seminars in vocal and choral techniques for area church and community choirs.

She is the Vocal Advisor at Montview Presbyterian Church and has taught classes in Find Your Authentic Voice at the University of Denver. She has a Doctorate in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado.

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PROGRAM V

HOLIDAY BIOGRAPHIES COLORADO SYMPHONY CHORUS Duain Wolfe, Founding Director and Conductor Mary Louise Burke, Principal Associate Director and Conductor Taylor Martin, Associate Director and Conductor Jared Joseph, Conducting Intern Hsiao-Ling Lin and ShaoChun Tsai, pianists Eric Israelson, Chorus Manager/Librarian Barbara Porter, Associate Chorus Manager SOPRANO Andrews, Lottie Ascani, Lori Atchison, René Black, Kimberly Blum, Jude Bowen, Alex Burns, Jeremy Burr, Emily Causey, Denelda Coberly, Ruth Coberly, Sarah Collins, Elizabeth Collins, Suzanne Collums, Angie Cote, Kerry Dakkouri, Claudia Day, April Dobreff, Mary Eck, Emily Emerich, Kate Ewert, Gracie Gaskill, Andria Gile, Jenifer Gill, Lori Glazier, Taylor Graber, Susan Grace, Maura Headrick, Alaina Hittle , Erin Irigoyen, Alici a Jones, Kaitlyn Jorden, Cameron Kennedy, Lauren Kermgard, Lindsey Kinnischtzke, Meghan Kraft, Lisa Kushnir, Marina Lang, Leanne

PROGRAM VI

Look, Cathy Linder, Dana Machusko, Rebecca Mattingly, Isabella Maupin, Anne Montigne, Erin Moraskie, Wendy O'Nan, Jeannette Peterson, Jodie Pflug, Kim Porter, Barbara Rae, Donneve Ropa, Lori Sladovnik, Roberta Stegink, Nicole Tate, Judy Timme, Sydney Von Roedern, Susan Walker, Marcia Wall, Alison Wise, Rebecca Wuertz, Karen Young, Cara Zisler, Joan ALTO Adams, Priscilla Arthur, Liz Berganza, Brenda Braud, Charlotte Chatfield, Cass Clauson, Clair Conrad, Jayne Cox, Martha Darone, Janie Davies, Debbie Deck, Barbara Dobson, Kezia

Dutcher, Valerie Fairchild, Raleigh Friedman, Anna Gayley, Sharon Golden, Daniela Groom, Gabriella Guittar, Pat Haxton, Sheri Hoopes, Kaia Hoskins, Hansi Isaac, Olivia Jackson, Brandy Janasko, Ellen Jarest, Michelle Kaminske, Christine Kim, Annette Kolstad, Annie LeBaron, Andrea Levy, Juliet London, Carole Long, Tinsley Maltzahn, Joanna McWaters, Susan Nordenholz, Kristen Nyholm, Christine Owens, Sheri Parsons, Jill Pringle, Jennifer Rehme, Leanne Rudolph, Kathi Scarselli, Elizabeth Schnell, Wendy Stevenson, Melanie Thaler, Deanna Thayer, Mary Trubetskoy, Kimberly

C O LO R A D O S Y M P H O N Y.O R G

Virtue, Pat Wandel, Benita Worthington, Evin York, Beth TENOR Babcock, Gary Bowman, Ryan Carlson, James Davies , Dusty Dinkel, Jack Fuehrer, Roger Gale, John Gordon, Frank Guittar, Forrest Hodel, David Ibrahim, Sami Johnson, Trey Jordan, Curt Kolm, Kenneth Milligan, Tom Moraskie, Richard Muesing, Garvis Nicholas, Timothy Rangel, Miguel Richardson, Tyler Roach, Eugene Rosen, David Ruth, Ronald Seamans , Andrew Sims , Jerry Stohlmann, Phillip Thompson, Hannis Witherspoon, Max Zimmerman, Kenneth BASS Adams, John Carlton, Grant

Friedlander, Robert Glauner, Dave Gray, Matthew Grossman, Chris Griffin, Tim Hammerberg, Nic Hesse, Douglas Highbaugh, David Hume, Donald Hunt, Leonard Israelson, Eric Jackson, Terry Jirak, Thomas Johnson, Matthew Jones, John Joseph, Jared Lingenfelter, Paul Lund-Brown, Sean McDaniel, Jakson Mehta, Nalin Molberg, Matthew Morrison, Greg Nuccio, Gene Phillips, John Pilcher, Ben Potter, Tom Pullen, Jacob Quarles, Kenneth Richards, Joshua Scoville, Adam Skillings, Russell Smedberg, Matthew Steele, Matt Struthers, David Swanson, Wil Virtue, Tom West, Mike Zax, Jeffrey

HOLIDAY BIOGRAPHIES COLORADO CHILDREN’S CHORALE Celebrating their 50th Anniversary Season, the Colorado Children’s Chorale has been performing with the Colorado Symphony on A Colorado Christmas concerts for 40 seasons.

With a diverse repertoire ranging from fully staged opera and musical theater to standard choral compositions in classical, folk, and popular traditions, the Chorale performs with an innovative stage presentation and a unique theatrical spirit. In recognition of its artistic quality, the Chorale was awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and the prestigious El Pomar Award for Excellence in Arts and Humanities. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Emily Crile and Executive Director Meg Steitz, the Colorado Children’s Chorale annually trains 300 members between the ages of 7 and 14 from all ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds representing more than 150 schools in the Denver metro area and beyond. Since its founding, the Chorale has sung countless performances with some of the world’s finest performing arts organizations, performed for numerous dignitaries, and appeared in television and radio broadcasts. The Performance Program includes a series of self-produced concerts, numerous performances with other Colorado arts organizations and touring around the world. This season the Chorale presents Merry and Bright and 50 Years of Brilliance at Boettcher Concert Hall, as well as So Many Voices, Performing Small Miracles, and Spring Fling Sing! in venues across the metro area. Chorale children will also take to the stage in Amahl and the Night Visitors and Street Scene with Central City Opera, Mahler Symphony No. 3 with Colorado Symphony Orchestra, La Bohéme with Bravo!

Vail, and Hansel and Gretel with the Aspen Music Festival.

EMILY CRILE, Artistic Director Colorado Children’s Chorale Emily Crile, Artistic Director, exhibits her passion and enthusiasm for choral music through developing and conducting singers of all ages. She currently directs Tour Choir, a premier treble ensemble. During the past 23 years with the Chorale, she has worked with all choir levels, established Transitions, prepared children for appearances with the Colorado Symphony, Central City Opera, Opera Colorado, and Colorado Ballet, and toured throughout Australia, China, Costa Rica, Europe, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. With a commitment to equitable access for high quality music education, she crafted, led, and administered School Partnership and Community Choir programs across the Denver Metro area and earned a certification in Facilitating Effective DEI Discussions from Dena Samuels Consulting. Emily is the Past President of the Colorado American Choral Directors Association and is an active choral clinician and presenter throughout the United States. Prior to joining the Chorale in 2000, she served as an Assistant Conductor with the Northern Iowa Children’s Choir. She holds a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Colorado Boulder.

S O U N D I N G S 2 0 2 3 / 2 4 PROGRAM VII

HOLIDAY BIOGRAPHIES TOUR CHOIR Tre Appleton Keaton Bau Soren Baugher Alice Britton Maddi Burm Reilly Butler Annon Camero Cordelia Cheever Nelle Collier Anika Dande Savannah Davenport Zoe Davis Nick Diamond Finn Donahue Ellie Eckstine Brian Erickson Havi Flores Camilla Franklin Leah Gomez Junah Graf Olivia Gramlich Portia Hansen Silas Helton Hannah Hoffman Ethan Horner Mayura Iyengar Norma Jackson Addie Jewell Vivi Kowalski Sam Kraus Jane Lanoha Brooks Larson Jack Lee Cam Lewis Evan Lewis Kade Matsumoto Carly Mehmen Christina Mulryan Abby Musser Nick Nagle Grace Neubeiser Gwendolyn Nicholas Aiana Ochoa Parker Olson Alex Osaka McKenna Pardieck Clara Paterson Kaiden Patterson Emmy Pouliot Avie Powers

Riley Powers Grayson Riek Elijah Rosen Gabriel Salaz Macy Sampson Bella Sandoval Juliette Schneider Clara Seigle Hari Shamos Cora Shoup Dale Southworth Tori Southworth Joshua Taylor Gavin Ulmer Madeline Walker Davina Wang Ava Williams Colton Williams Conor Winburn Jonah Winburn Bailey Winn Caroline Wolfinger CONCERT CHOIR Rhys Benoit Hallie Breeser Stuart Britton Bronwyn Brock Peyton Brown Jade Calkins Hale Camero Rowan Cheever Adita Dande Terra Darnell Paul Diamond Tessa Ditterline Cerena Eason Delilah Garcia Elliot Gee Loula Georgelos Frank Gomez Lola Gonzales Lucy Gonzales Eliana Hang Willow Hartman Alice Haywood Annelise Henriksen Iola Higdon Ellie Hulsing Ayomide Jaiyesimi Leo Jasper

PROGRAM VIII C O LO R A D O S Y M P H O N Y.O R G

Kaizen Johnson Dana Kim Alyssa Klein Zada Lemery Mayzie Leshem Rose Loyd Selisse Maceo Aliyah Morales Andika Muljadi Elisa Muñoz Miranda Murillo Durango Kate Newell Bethany Novak Cameron Onan Alexis Pandian Meg Politte Margaret Powers Beckett Rathbun Cooper Rathbun Molly Reagan-Wilson Emianna Renteria Monroe Rippe Ethan Romero Rocco Rowekamp Makenzee Seaman Viola Sestito Mae Shamos Nora Sherrill Henning Shook Brendan Smith Josie Stacy Emily Stone Rielynn Thomas Katie Tkachenko Karsten Visser Elizabeth Von Stroh Geneva Waanders Lily Walz Harmony Webb Juliet Westerhoff Emersyn Wheeler Mia Zhuang