The Conroe Symphony Orchestra (CSO) will ring in the holidays with its annual Christmas concert, “The Season to be Jolly” on Dec. 16.
The symphony will welcome soloist Kenneth Gayle to the stage along with the opportunity for you to once again sing along to your favorite Christmas music.
“We have a wonderful offering of traditional holiday music for the orchestra’s 2023 performance,” Conductor Gary Liebst said. “You will hear seasonal favorites like Leroy Anderson’s ‘Sleigh Ride’ and his quintessential Christmas medley of tunes titled ‘A Christmas Festival.’ If you enjoyed the movie ‘Polar Express’, you’ll love the medley of beautiful tunes we’re playing from that classic movie. We also have a delightful composition by English composer Frederick Delius titled ‘Winter Night, Sleigh Ride’ which is his unique interpretation of a trip through the country on a brisk winter night.”
The CSO will share the stage with Tenor Kenneth Gayle, thanks to a generous gift from the Montgomery County Community Foundation.
“I have found some beautiful new arrangements of ‘O Holy Night’, ‘The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)’ and ‘Ave’ Maria’ by arranger Dan Goeller. Those arrangements will feature our vocalist, Kenneth Gayle,” Liebst said.
Tenor Kenneth Gayle’s national credits include performances with: Lyric Opera of Chicago, Ravinia Music Festival, Grant Park Music Festival, Seattle Opera, Seattle Symphony, Opera Omaha, Omaha Symphony, Opera Idaho, Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival.
A Seattle native and Houston resident, Gayle’s local performance credits include appearances with the Houston Ebony Opera Guild, Mukuru: Arts for AIDS Series, Three Mo’ Tenors and the Southwestern premier of the chamber opera “Fragments from Augustine the Saint” at Rothko Chapel. Recent appearances as a featured soloist include the New York City premier performance of John Cornelius’ PAX at Carnegie Hall with Apollo Chamber Players, and Mass in B Minor by J.S. Bach with Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival.
Local producing/performance credits of Gayle also include performances benefiting: The Houston Women’s Home, AIDS Foundation Houston, Legacy Community Services, The Montrose Counseling Center, The Parish School, Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston, and many others.
The concert will take place at First Methodist Church Conroe and will feature activities for the entire family.
There will be kids’ crafts, music education, and entertainment. The CSO will also recognize its Chair Sponsors at the Christmas concert. The CSO is truly grateful for the support of its chair sponsors. Ticket sales contribute only a small fraction of the CSO income, making donations from Chair Sponsors crucial to add to the cultural enrichment of the community.
“There isn’t a better way to celebrate the season than with a fun afternoon of Christmas music with the Conroe Symphony Orchestra,” Liebst said. “It sets the mood for the season and what a great opportunity to sing with a 60 piece orchestra in a big concert finale, “The Christmas Sing Along!”
The CSO will perform The Season to be Jolly at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at the First Methodist Church Conroe located at 4308 W Davis St.
Tickets are on sale now at https://conroesymphony.org/ or by calling the box office at 936-760-2144.
The Conroe Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1997. The CSO was created to contribute to the cultural enrichment of the community, assuring a better quality of life for the Conroe area. Its objective is to provide the region with the best possible musical experience, while creating music lovers and connecting communities.
CSO strives to be recognized as one of the outstanding community orchestras in the state of Texas. As a nonprofit community orchestra, it is supported through individual and corporate donations, grants, and ticket sales.
