{"id":3651,"date":"2021-11-24T22:45:41","date_gmt":"2021-11-25T03:45:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/?p=3651"},"modified":"2021-11-24T22:45:45","modified_gmt":"2021-11-25T03:45:45","slug":"bloomington-symphony-orchestra-celebrates-the-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bloomingtonsymphony.com\/staging\/6573\/2021\/11\/24\/bloomington-symphony-orchestra-celebrates-the-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Bloomington Symphony Orchestra Celebrates the Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Connie Shakalis, HT Columnist<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the past five years, violinist and conductor Alejandro G\u00f3mez Guill\u00e9n has served as artistic director and conductor of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra,<\/a> which is busy preparing for three holiday performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I happened to catch his “Wade in the Water: Exploring Florence Price\u2019s Symphony No. 4 & Art Songs” last month, and let me tell you this musician can galvanize an orchestra. The concert and readings with singing (by Marquese Carter) immobilized me. I woke up thinking about that program for days afterward (and being mad that Florence Price’s works had remained tucked away for many years because the composer was not only a woman but Black). In 1933, Price became the first Black woman to have a composition performed by a major U.S. orchestra in this country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guill\u00e9n’s work toward his doctorate includes a critical edition of Colombian composer Jorge Pinz\u00f3n\u2019s violin concerto, and bringing dances from Bach\u2019s orchestral suites \u2014 in their original style \u2014 to emerging orchestras. He stuck to history in his approach so that modern instruments could produce the appropriate sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Alejandro<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For the holidays, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra\u2019s “Celebrate the Season” show returns with themes of peace and thanksgiving. At both the Buskirk-Chumley Theater and the Brown County Music Center, audiences will hear \u201cSleigh Ride\u201d as well as new music. No sing-alongs this year, however, due to COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Maybe it\u2019s all about baking cookies and sipping hot chocolate,” Guill\u00e9n said. Regardless of the season’s reason, he expressed joy that people are choosing to share it with the orchestra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pieces highlight aspects of winter, with diverse points of view \u2014 and dancing by members of MotionArts Academy and its director, Kristin Iovino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We will also share music from the Jewish-American diaspora with the traditional ‘Ma\u2019oz Tzur’ and amazing writing talents in Sch\u00f6nberg\u2019s ‘Les Mis\u00e9rables’ and Rodgers and Hammerstein\u2019s ‘The Sound of Music.'”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Versions of “Carol of the Bells” and “Greensleeves” offer surprises, and there will be music from classic movies such as “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Home Alone,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and some Dr. Seuss. Even “Frozen” gets a turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In downtown Bloomington at the Buskirk-Chumley, the group will perform both before and after the lighting of the Canopy of Lights on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The two family-friendly shows frame downtown\u2019s street twinkling: first comes the shorter concert, featuring a North Pole visitor. Next is the orchestra’s expanded show, which will livestream; tickets for this will be available soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dec. 11 show is at the Brown County Music Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We did a previous holiday show at the Music Center two years ago, but COVID-19 made last year impossible,” said Donna Lafferty, the orchestra’s executive director. “That venue is gorgeous, the acoustics are remarkably good, and wow, it’s so professional.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dancing, singing, storytelling and you-know-who will rule. This time, it’s not all about the instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It’s nice to share the spotlight with our friends, particularly with our holiday shows,” Lafferty said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it’s not just about Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This is a chance for us to showcase other holiday traditions.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lafferty enjoys holiday cooking and spending time with her “cute husband and cats.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when kindergartners start break-dancing to “Sleigh Ride,” she knows the orchestra has done it again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you go<\/h2>\n\n\n\n