Fort Collins Symphony: Sounds of the Season

The Fort Collins Symphony presents Sounds of the Season Virtual Concert at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 6 and Sunday, December 13, and at 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 12 and Saturday, December 19, 2020. Maestro Wes Kenney and members of the Fort Collins Symphony have recorded a festive concert of winter favorites chosen from Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Solstice traditions. Orchestral genres include popular, medieval, ballet, modern, Gregorian, klezmer, jazz, and more, written by composers from all walks of life. Maestro Kenney hosts the concert which features performances by a string quartet, woodwind quintet, brass quintet, timpani, and the 15-piece ensemble.

The beautifully decorated stage, created by Gary Hixon Designs, serves as the backdrop for such timeless classics as “Sleigh Ride,” “O, Tannenbaum,” “Carol of the Bells,” “Greensleeves,” “The Christmas Song,” “Little Drummer Boy Christmas Bolero,” and more. The poignant “In the Bleak Midwinter” and the medieval carol “Personent Hodie” are both arranged by Colorado native Morgan Denney. Composer Valerie Coleman’s “Umoja” is a lively celebration of the first night of Kwanzaa. The brass quintet will take you on a lively sleigh ride with Prokofiev’s “Troika.” “I Have a Little Dreidle” and “Mi Y’malel” celebrates Hanukkah, the festival of lights. The 2020 winter concert concludes with Maestro Kenney leading the full ensemble in Steven Fry’s sing along “Fa-La-La.”