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'We're nearly sold out': Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra 'pops' back to Mechanics Hall
Richard Duckett
Telegram & Gazette
WORCESTER — The Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra must have been doing something right with its annual "Holiday Pops" concerts in Mechanics Hall.
For 40 consecutive years, from the first performance in 1980 to 2019, the concerts sold out.
Now after the popular event was put on hold last year because of the pandemic, the emphasis is on getting it right again for Worcester's homegrown orchestra.
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The Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra "Holiday Pops" concert returns with a performance at 8 p.m. Dec. 11 in Mechanics Hall.
"It's a combination of a lot of elements," said Paul Levenson, executive director of the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra. "I love putting together the concert. It's so much fun. I'm just looking forward to being with all these people again and being part of this tradition again."
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That doesn't just include being with the audience, but also the large number of participants always involved with putting on the show.
For the Dec. 11 concert, conductor Jorge Soto will lead the orchestra and there will be a combined college chorus composed of students from Assumption University and Worcester State University under the direction of Bradford T. Dumont.
The vocal soloists are Jane Shivick, soprano, who has given many brilliant performances with the orchestra, and Christon Carney, tenor, a relatively new voice on the Worcester scene who is increasingly being heard thanks to some outstanding renditions.
The Murphy Academy of Irish Dance, based in Grafton and led by award-winning choreographers Elizabeth and Bridget Murphy, performed at the 2019 concert and put on one of the most electrifying dance presentations in MSO's history, Levenson said. "They really brought down the house and we're having them back." A jazz ensemble drawn from the orchestra will also perform.
"There's a lot going on there. A lot of talented people," Levenson said. The music ranges from Handel to sing-alongs.
"It's the whole variety of the concert. If you don't like something, wait five minutes."
Few seats remain for concert
It seems to be working. Floor table seats to this year's concert are already sold out. Some balcony seats remained at the time of writing but hurry fast if you're thinking of going to the show.
"We're nearly sold out. We're really pleased with that, that the crowds have come back. People have missed it. We're just delighted with that," Levenson said.
The Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, which is in its 73rd season, was co-founded by Levenson's late parents, Harry and Madelyn Levenson.
In July, the orchestra celebrated its 70th year of admission-free performances in Institute Park with two free concerts.
However, the pandemic has affected its programing and the July concerts were MSO's first performances since 2019.
One of those concerts saw MSO explore a new program with "Jazz in the Park: Celebrating Great African-American Composers."
"We had miserable weather there in July," Levenson recalled. For "Jazz in the Park" it "rained all day and 10 minutes before the concert the sun comes out. We had a decent crowd. Artistically it was one of the best concerts we've done."
MSO's indoors programing usually includes its annual "Duo-Piano Gala Concert" in the fall in Tuckerman Hall, which the orchestra owns and operates, with as many as seven pianists playing at one time on two pianos.
Then there's the "Holiday Pops" concert in Mechanics Hall.
The idea is for the "Duo Piano Gala" to return next year. In making a decision about whether Holiday Pops should return this year, "I think we put that off. We waited until the end of the summer. We didn't know what was going to happen, frankly," Levenson said.
MSO saw what other orchestras, especially the Boston Symphony Orchestra, were doing in terms of coming back. Many of them are putting on concerts in December, including the Boston Pops, which is under the auspices of the BSO.
Also, "we got a number of calls over the summer, 'Are you doing it (the "Holiday Pops" concert)?' " Levenson said. Finally, "We put it in our brochure."
Almost immediately, ticket orders started coming in, he said.
Now, there are events also going on at Tuckerman Hall again, and the MSO will perform on Dec. 10 with Mannheim Steamroller at Lowell Memorial Auditorium.
The next night it's on to Mechanics Hall.
"It's feast or famine in this business. We're just excited to be back," Levenson said.
"I think of my parents when I do the programing. I have a one-sided conversation with them," he said. "You're looking at high quality pieces that fit together. Fitting it in the allotted time."
The concert will begin with Handel's magnificent "La Rejouissance" from "Music for the Royal Fireworks" and the "Entrance of the Queen of Sheba" from "Solomon." Next, Tchaikovsky's "Valse" from "Swan Lake" will be followed by selections from "The Nutcracker."
The combined student choirs then take the stage for a mix of works that include carols, folk hymns and "Believe" from "Polar Express." The first half concludes with a sing-along.
The Murphy Academy of Irish Dance steps out for the second half, and other highlights will likely be solo performances of Campana Sobre Campana by Carney, "O Holy Night" by Shivick, and Shivick and Carney combining as a duet for "Brindisi" from Verdi's "La Traviata." Leroy Anderson ("Sleigh Ride" and "A Christmas Festival") will also be featured, while Strauss' "Radetzky March" will give a nod to the new year. The festivities will round out with another sing-along, and a visit by Santa.
"I've got such a wonderful orchestra for this performance," Levenson said. "We have some of the best musicians, I think, in the area."
Myron Romanul is the orchestra's long-time conductor, and he and Soto had been conducting the orchestra pre-pandemic. But Romanul is based in Germany and so Soto, who has also played in the orchestra as a violinist, has been picking up the baton.
Indeed, Soto is now considered a rising star in the orchestral world and has been engaged by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in various capacities.
'We're excited to have things happening for him. We saw what an excellent conductor he is," Levenson said. "Myron, Jorge — the orchestra loves them both."
From the start in 1980, the concert has had college students on stage as part of a large chorus.
"Working with students — we love that. That's one of our prime missions of what we do," Levenson said. "They're really the best hope for us to build the next generation of classical music. If it's a successful concert they'll remember that for the rest of their lives. They'll bring their children and grandchildren."
With over 40 years in the books, that's already close to happening.
"There's a whole psychology of ticket sales. We have some very loyal people. There's a lot of people who have been coming to this concert for decades. They bring their families. They bring their extended families. Parents of students — they're buying tickets," Levenson said.
"Last year it was very difficult. You always say if you don't do it, will you lose that crowd? And we didn't lose that crowd," Levenson said.
"And that's what I'm so grateful for. There are so many precarious elements to classical music programing. We're grateful and we're very happy the people we're performing with are so enthusiastic, and the audience is enthusiastic, too."
Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra — 'Holiday Pops'
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11
Where: Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester
How much: Floor table seats to this year's concert are sold out. Balcony seats are $40 each and may be obtained by calling 508-752-0888 or got to mechanicshall.org, or by calling MSO at 508-754-1234 or masymphony.org.
Information about COVID-19 protocols is also at mechanicshall.org
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