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Lake Oconee News
Friday, December 29,2017
A packed audience participates in the sing-along.
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra kicks of Christmas weekend at MMCC
Story and Photos
by Leila Scoggins
leila@lakeoconeenews.us
T he Atlanta
Symphony
Orchestra
made its 39th
appearance at the
Madison-Morgan
Cultural Center, kicking
off the holiday weekend
with a bang.
“This year’s holiday concert was
scheduled later in the month of
December than in the past,” said
MMCC performance director
RebeccaBonas.“Wedon’thave con
trol over what date the symphony
gives us, but this year having the
concert so close to Christmas was
different for us. I think it really
kicked off the holiday weekend for
many in Madison.”
The ASO Holiday Concert took
place on Friday, Dec. 22, at 8 p.m.
Accordingto Bonas, this year’s show
sold out a full two weeks before the
performance. More than400 people
packed into the MMCC auditorium
to enjoy a well-rounded mix of hol
iday favorites.
“This year’s program was a little
different, too,” Bonas said. “The
orchestraplayedmanyholidayfavor-
ites, including several works from
The Nutcracker, ‘Oh Holy Night’
and the Madison tradition of‘Silent
Night.’ The program also included a
beautiful work by Richard Wagner
and a lighthearted classical piece
by Mozart.”
The musical selections from The
Nutcracker ballet appeared to hold
the audiences spellbound. Pieces in
the selection included the “Dance of
the Sugarplum Fairy,” the Russian,
Arabian and Chinese dances and
the ‘Waltz ofthe Flowers.” Following
Suite No. 1 from The Nutcracker
was a combination piece by Mozart,
Wagner’s piece entitled “Siegfried
Idyll” and “On the Beautiful Blue
Danube” by Johann Straus Jr.
The performance also included the
crowd favorite singalong, which fea
tured a number of classic Christmas
carols. This year’s singalong lineup
ASO Conductor Stephen Mulligan instructs audiences when to sing during the singalong.
included “Joyto the World,”“0 Come,
All Ye Faithful,” “Hark, the Herald
Angels Sing” and “Silent Night.”
“I think the highlight for this year’s
concert was the audience participa
tion in the singalong,” Bonas said.
“You could truly feel the joy of the
season when 400 voices raised in
song.”
This year’s ASO concert was con
ducted by assistant conductor and
Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra
music director Stephen Mulligan.
“The symphony members remark
year after year howthis is one oftheir
favorite concerts to play,” Bonas said.
“They love coming to Madison.”
According to the program, “The
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra con
tinues to affirm its position as one
of America’s leading orchestras
with excellent live performances,
renowned guest artists and engag
ing education initiatives, all under
Music Director Robert Spano and
Principal Guest Conductor Donald
Runnicles.”
The program continues, “As the
cornerstone for artistic develop
ment in the Southeast, the Atlanta
Symphony Orchestraperforms afull
schedule of more than 200 concerts
each year, including educational and
community concerts, for a combined
audience of more than half a million
people.”
The Mannheim Steamroller
rendition of “Silent Night” had
Violin players perform for the crowd.
A cello player performs during the ASO concert.
audiences on their feet, giving the
symphony a standing ovation that
concluded the evening.
The MMCC has a jam-packed
lineup to start the new year off
right, including singer-songwriter
Gaelynn Lea in January, The
Morehouse Glee Club in February,
as well as the annual antique show
and Chamber Music Festival later
in the spring.
Sapphire Sponsors Jim Boyd
Insurance and the Bank of Madison
made the ASO Holiday Concert
possible.
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