At this time of year, Utah is rich in carols, our concert halls filled with "The Messiah" and other hallelujah choruses. Here's our extensive calendar of holiday music to fill your ears - and hearts - with glad tidings.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Nov. 23 » Chamber Music Society of Salt Lake City presents the Talich String Quartet; Libby Gardner Concert Hall, 1395 Presidents Circle, University of Utah campus, Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; $25, $5 for students; 801-561-3999; or at the door.
Nov. 28 » Holiday pops concert by the Choral Arts Society of Utah, with the West Valley Symphony and guest guitarist Michael Dowdle; Cottonwood High School, 5715 S. 1300 East, Murray; 7:30 p.m.; $12; SmithsTix.
Nov. 29-30 » "Messiah" Sing-In. Utah Symphony and Chorus, Susanne Sheston conducting; Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City; 7 p.m.; $7-$14; 801-355-ARTS; www.arttix.org.
Dec. 1 » "Songs of Celebration." Salt Lake Symphonic Winds. Wasatch Presbyterian Church, 1626 S. 1700 East, Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; free; 801-792-8125.
Dec. 2 » "A Christmas Celebration: Combined Institute of Religion Choirs." Mormon Tabernacle Choir with choirs from churches around the Watch Front; Tabernacle on Temple Square, 15 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; free, but tickets are required; 801-570-0080; www.lds.org/events.
Dec. 4 » University of Utah's Virtuoso Series featuring pianist Emmanuel Ax; Libby Gardner Concert Hall, 1375 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; $24, $10 for students; 801-581-7100; www.kingtix.com.
Dec. 4-5 » Haydn's "The Creation." Utah Symphony and Chorus, with conductor Jeffrey Kahane, soprano Celena Shafer, mezzo Gretchen Windt, tenor Brian Stucki and bass-baritone Mark Schnaible; Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City; 8 p.m.; $16-$51; 801-355-ARTS; www.arttix.org.
Dec. 4-5 » "Gloria: The Life of Christ, Part 1 -- His Birth," an oratorio by Lex de Azevedo, featuring Millennium Chamber Singers and Chorus and Roy High School Chamber Choir. First United Methodist Church, 203 S. 200 East, Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; $15-$25 at www.gloriaconcert.com; $20-$30 at the door.
Dec. 4, 5, 10 » "A Christmas Festival." Orchestra and Chorus of Sandy. Dec. 4-5, 8 p.m., at Good Shepherd Church, 8600 S. 700 East, Sandy; Dec. 10, 8 p.m., at Waterford School, 1480 E. 9400 South, Sandy; $10, $8 for seniors and students; at the door.
Dec. 5 » "Celebrate the Season." Salt Lake Symphony, Robert Baldwin and Michael Huff, conducting; Libby Gardner Concert Hall, 1375 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; $15, $10 for students; 801-581-7100; www.kingtix.com.
Dec. 5 » "Utah Tuba Christmas." Brigham Young University's school of music will play all instruments in the tuba family -- tuba, Sousaphone, euphonium, baritone horn, helicon, serpent and ophicleide; Madsen Recital Hall, BYU campus, Provo; noon; free.
Dec. 6 » "Deo Gracias." Choirs and brass ensemble of First Presbyterian Church; 12 C St., Salt Lake City; 4 p.m.; donations accepted.
Dec. 7 » "Sing We Joyous All Together." Utah Chamber Artists; Libby Gardner Concert Hall, 1375 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; $15, $10 for students; 801-581-7100; www.kingtix.com.
Dec. 9 » Westminster College Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Russell McKinney. Vieve Gore Concert Hall at Westminster College, 1250 E. 1700 South, Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; free.
Dec. 10-13 » "The Wondrous Gift of Christmas." Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square, singer Natalie Cole and narrator David McCullough; LDS Conference Center, Salt Lake City; Dec. 10 at 8 p.m., Dec. 11-12 at 7:30 p.m. and a Dec. 14 broadcast of "Music and the Spoken Word" at 9:30 a.m. with mini-concert to follow. Free, but tickets have been distributed by a random selection process.
Dec. 10-12, 14 » "A Community Celebration" featuring Handel's "Messiah," with soloists Ginger Bess, Kelly Griffiths and Dee-Dee Darby Duffin, under the direction of Anthony Bennett and Lyle Archibald. The Grand Theatre, Salt Lake Community College south city campus, 1575 S. State St., Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; $24 ($22 for seniors, $15 for students); 801-957-3322; www.the-grand.org.
Dec. 11-12 » University of Utah Choirs Holiday Concert; Libby Gardner Concert Hall, 1375 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City; 7 p.m.; $7, $3 for students; 801-581-7100; www.kingtix.com.
Dec. 12-13 » "Sing We Now of Christmas (and the Rest of the Season, too)." Salt Lake Men's Choir; First Baptist Church, 777 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City; $10; 800-838-3006; www.saltlakemenschoir.org or at the door.
Dec. 12-13 » Handel's "Messiah." Oratorio Society of Utah, with the Nachtmusik Chamber Orchestra. Dec. 12, 7 p.m., Cottonwood Presbyterian Church, 1580 E. Vine St., Murray; $5, at the door; Dec. 13, 7 p.m., Libby Gardner Hall, 1375 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City; $10, 801-581-7100 or www.kingtix.com.
Dec. 13 » Handel's "Messiah" Sing-In and food drive. Murray Symphony at Murray High School, 5300 S. State St.; Dec. 13, 7 p.m. (Top Brass performs at 6:30 p.m.); $6 (kids 10 and younger are free); www.murraysymphony.org.
Dec. 13 » "Holiday Gift of Music." The Wasatch Community Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Theodore Zalkind; LDS Park Stake Center, 732 S. 800 East, Salt Lake City; 7 p.m.; free; 801-463-2442.
Dec. 14 » "Winter Christmas Concert," performed by Miss Margene's Musical Theater. Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 W. 3100 South, West Valley City; 7 p.m.; free; 801-965-5100.
Dec. 17 » "Winter Solstice." Stonecircle with Mark Cantor, Krista Baker and Auerbach; Rose Wagner Center for Performing Arts, Jeanne Wagner Auditorium, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; $12-$15 ($18 at the door); 801-355-ARTS; www.arttix.org.
Dec. 18-19 » "Holiday Pops with Jerry!" Utah Symphony, Jerry Steichen, conducting; Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City; 8 p.m.; $27-$85; 801-355-ARTS; www.arttix.org.
Dec. 18 and 22 » Britten's "A Ceremony of Carols." Madeleine Choir and Choristers; Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City; 12:15 p.m.; free; call for reserved seats, 801-994-4663.
Dec. 19 » "Here Comes Santa Claus!" David Cho conducts the Utah Symphony in a kid-friendly concert; Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City; 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; $11; 801-355-ARTS; www.arttix.org.
Dec. 19 » "Laud to the Nativity." Salt Lake Choral Artists; Libby Gardner Concert Hall, 1375 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City; 7:30 p.m.; $19.95, $15.75 for students; 801-232-7521; www.kingtix.com.
Dec. 20 » Utah's Ultimate Trombone Ensemble. First Presbyterian Church, 12 C St., Salt Lake City; 4 p.m.; $10 ($5 for seniors and students).
Dec. 21, 22, 24 » Christmas Carol Service. Madeleine Choir and Choristers; Cathedral of the Madeleine, 331 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City; 8 p.m. (4 p.m. on Dec. 24); free; call for reserved seats, 801-994-4663.
The choir and Orchestra at Temple Square present their annual Christmas blockbuster, with singer Natalie Cole and historian David McCullough as guests. Expect an evening of pageantry, with eye-catching costumes, lighting and dancing complementing the music -- but for many choir observers, the real treat will be hearing what arrangements music director Mack Wilberg comes up with next. The choir's new associate director, Ryan Murphy, assists.
There will be an open dress rehearsal Dec. 10 at 8 p.m., with performances Dec. 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. Cole and McCullough will join the choir and orchestra on the Dec. 13 broadcast of "Music and the Spoken Word" (on KSL Ch. 5 and 1160 AM), with a mini-concert afterward. All are in the LDS Conference Center, 60 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City. All 80,000-plus free tickets have been distributed via a random-selection process, but try your luck in the standby line a half-hour before performance time.
Brady Allred again presents a Christmas classic that's a step or two off the beaten path: Ottorino Respighi's "Laud to the Nativity," which tells the familiar story through the eyes of the shepherds. Featured are soprano Carol Ann Allred, mezzo Laura Garff Lewis, tenor Todd Miller and a woodwind ensemble. Ariel Ramirez's "Navidad Nuestra" and selections from Rachmaninoff and Rutter round out the program.
The concert is Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Libby Gardner Concert Hall, 1395 Presidents Circle on the University of Utah campus, Salt Lake City; tickets are $19.95 ($15.75 for students and seniors).
