TINY TOTS CHRISTMAS 2021
WELCOME!
Children are welcome to move during the program. Feel free to let little ones get up, dance, and participate in the interactive moments. Please stay off any staging and remain in your area. Adults are expected to remain seated throughout the program unless there is an emergency. When you come to Tiny Tots, you will play a role in creating a safe place for everyone to enjoy. Please maintain distance between you and individuals not in your group. Masks are required for all adults and children ages three and up. Have any questions or concerns? Find a volunteer or staff member in a Tiny Tots or Inside the Orchestra shirt and we'll be happy to help!
ABOUT US Inside the Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are passionate about the world of the orchestra being a place for everyone. Working to cultivate an inclusive and equitable environment where all children feel welcomed are key components of our work. We have a completely open door policy, thus providing experiences that are otherwise unavailable to many children, communities, and schools. Our immersive, experiential programs are designed with the age and stage of each child served in mind. In-person programs are open to the public and in metro Denver schools. Virtual programs are available around the world.
@InsideOrchestra
Want to see your ad here? Reach out to us to find out more: shelby@insidetheorchestra.org (303) 355-7855
Join us again During the 2021-22 Season
Join us again this season while we enjoy music from around the world, explore the science of sound, and end with a celebration of all the instruments. Come play with music!
These will be limited capacity, socially distanced events. You will be given a designated spot to sit with your group. Just like this Christmas, capacity will be less than 50% of a standard Tiny Tots audience. All Inside the Orchestra staff and performers are vaccinated.
insidetheorchestra.org/tots-21-22
Keep the Tiny Tots fun going at home! You'll receive:
6 sets of interactive performance videos
6 musical activity books for offline fun
6 sets of theme-based online musical games and activities
Online access for a year!
Virtual Tiny Tots packages make great Christmas presents! Purchase at the merchandise table today for a 40% off attendee discount and take your activity books home with you today!
insidetheorchestra.org/tots
Music opens doors for the littlest ones in your community, and your gift is the key. Inside the Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our programming is free to all who need it. By making a tax-deductible donation, you keep our programming accessible and equitable for children from all backgrounds. We know where you choose to donate is a gesture of trust in the organization. If you choose to give, we promise you that your gift will be used carefully and wisely to make the biggest possible impact. You know music makes a difference in the lives of children. It educates, inspires, and delights. It connects kids to each other and their communities, even when the world feels so disconnected.
Now more than ever, kids need music.
You can make it happen.
insidetheorchestra.org/donate
CONDUCTOR Dan Leavitt
Dan has a Master of Arts in Music from the University of Denver. He has been conductor of Tiny Tots for 3 years and arranges many of the pieces we play. He has written over 500 arrangements that are played all over the world. Dan has taught at the University of Colorado Boulder, Metropolitan State University, Colorado Christian University and Cherry Creek High School. He is currently the conductor of the Mercury Ensemble and the Denver Municipal Jazz Big Band. He has conducted the Colorado Ballet, Colorado Youth Symphony and the Denver Municipal Band. Dan has performed with numerous artists and ensembles such as Andrea Bocelli, Natalie Cole, Barry Manilow, Ray Charles, John Denver, Bob Hope, The Canadian Brass, The Irish Tenors, Three Mo' Divas, Mannheim Steam Roller, Aaron Copland, The Denver Brass, Denver Chamber Orchestra, Colorado Chamber Players, Central City Opera, and The Colorado Symphony. He has performed four times for Presidents of the US. He has recorded with the Colorado Symphony, The Boulder Brass, Rare Silk, and can be heard on Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman by Joan Tower. He has a passion for conducting, performing, composing, and music education.
SINGER
Armando Contreras, Central City Opera Mexican-American baritone Armando Contreras is "a baritone with gravitas and quickly making his mark in the opera world" praised by Schmopera. This past season, Armando sang a lead role in the world premiere of "The Knock" with The Glimmerglass Festival and was the cover for Papageno in their production of "The Magic Flute". Armando sang the leading roles of Il Conte in Le nozze di Figaro and Marcello in La Boheme with Boulder Opera. He performed two recitals featuring music from Latin America with Central City Opera and Loveland Opera Theatre. Armando sang in the US premiere of Bizet's Don Procopio with Pacific Opera Project.
VIOLIN
MUSICIANS CELLO
Wayne Templeman Byron Hitchcock Jennifer Fouse Takanori Sugishita Anna Leavitt Kathy Thayer Lionel Young BASS Beth McKenna Greensburg Mike Fitzmaurice Desiree Cedeno-Suarez Ron Bland Lila Woolman Andy Holmes Hong An Tori Woodrow FLUTE Nina Fronjian Valerie Johnson OBOE Annamaria Karacson Kathryn Simpson
VIOLA
Sarah Richardson Lora Stevens James Shaw
CLARINET
TRUMPET
Derek McDonald Dawn Kramer
HORN Devon Park Sue McCullough Ron Torp
TROMBONE Jeff Craig
TUBA Mike Dunn Cameron Holt
Mary Jungerman
PERCUSSION
BASSOON
Peter Cooper
Deborah Torp
REPERTOIRE To be selected from:
Feliz Navidad Jingle Bells Singalong We Wish You A Merry Christmas You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch Frosty the Snowman Singalong Jingle Bell Rock Santa Claus is Coming to Town The Nutcracker Mirlitons Sugar Plum Fairy The Christmas Song Sleigh Ride
José Feliciano* James Lord Pierpont* Matt Naughton* Albert Hague* Walter Rollins and Steve Nelson* Bobby Helms* J Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Featuring Ballet Ariel or Colorado Ballet Academy Nat King Cole* Leroy Anderson *Arranged by Dan Leavitt
PROGRAM NOTES FELIZ NAVIDAD
Feliz Navidad is 8th on the list of all-time best-selling Christmas/holiday digital singles and is one of the top 25 most played and recorded Christmas songs in the whole world according to ASCAP. Enjoy this festive start to the concert.
JINGLE BELLS SINGALONG
This piece was written by James Pierpont in the 1850s. It is said he was inspired by horse-drawn sleigh races that were a tradition in the town where he lived. Fun fact: this was the first piece performed in outer space! Have fun singing along with the orchestra and Armando Contreras from Central City Opera.
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
This is an English Christmas tune that was made popular after a 1935 recording but may date originally back to the 1800s. That recording originally said, “I wish you a merry Christmas.” Pretend to pick up a violin or other string instrument and play along with the string family this piece.
YOU'RE A MEAN ONE MR. GRINCH
The lyrics for this song were composed by Dr. Suess himself for the original Grinch movie in 1966. Even though the Grinch is the main character of the movie, Dr. Seuss wanted to make sure he was as unlikeable as possible, which was why he composed this piece. Listen as Armando Contreras from Central City Opera joins us for this piece.
FROSTY THE SNOWMAN SINGALONG
Frosty the Snowman was written in 1950, a year after Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer premiered to great success. The songwriters were trying to create another popular Christmas hit and they definitely succeeded! Sing along with the orchestra during this piece.
JINGLE BELL ROCK
Jingle Bell Rock was released in 1957 and holds the record for the longest wait to get on the Hot 100 Top 10 song list – it finally made it onto the top 10 in January of 2019. Turn your body into jingle bells and shimmy and shake along with the music.
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN
The earliest known recording of this song was in 1934 and it became an instant hit, selling hundreds of thousands of copies of sheet music and records in 24 hours. It has been recorded hundreds of times since and has made it onto Billboards Top 10 many times featuring different performers. Listen to this arrangement featuring the brass instruments of the orchestra and pretend to play your favorite brass instrument.
THE NUTCRACKER DANCE OF THE MIRLITONS AND DANCE OF THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY
The Nutcracker is one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous works and is based on “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” story by E. T. A. Hoffman. Dance of the Mirlitons is also called Dance of the Reed Flutes. Listen to the woodwinds play the melody throughout this movement. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy features one ballerina. The original choreographer asked that the music sound like shooting and splashing water droplets. You'll hear this in the sounds of the celeste that joins during this piece. (We don't have a real celeste instrument - it will be played on the keyboard). Watch as dancers join us during Dance of the Mirlitons or Sugar Plum Fairy.
THE CHRISTMAS SONG
This song was actually written on a blistering hot summer day. Robert Wells started listing out wintery things to help him get into the mood to write a Christmas song and those became the opening lyrics. Armando from Central City Opera will join us again for this piece.
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER
This song was inspired by the story of Rudolph that was actually written by the composer Johnny Marks' brother. Gene Autry recorded the song in 1949 and it become #1 on the pop music charts in 1950. Gene Autry's version peaked again on the charts rising to #16 in January of 2019. Armando from Central City Opera will lead - put on your Rudolph nose and sing along.
SLEIGH RIDE
Though it's one of the most famous orchestra holiday songs, Leroy Anderson actually started writing this piece in a sunny, hot July! Throughout the piece, listen to galloping horses from the percussion section and their neighing sounds from the trumpets. Hop onto your sleighs and pretend to ride off through the snow.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
THANK YOU TO OUR CHRISTMAS TINY TOTS CULTURAL PARTNERS