Local Musical Community Gearing Up for Tri-Valley Holiday Shows

The holidays are quickly approaching, which typically ushers in a season of more quality time with family, relatives visiting from out of town and young adults returning home from college. In the Tri-Valley, there will be no shortage of activities bringing people together to enjoy each other's company, including a number of concerts presented by local musical organizations.

The Pacific Chamber Orchestra, Livermore Amador Symphony, Valley Concert Chorale and Valley Dance Theatre will be bringing holiday-themed productions to various venues throughout the region, with ticket sales already underway for many.

From cultural observances to faith-based performances to classic literary fairy tales, the musical community is gearing up to bring the magic of the holidays to life on stage.

• Chorus Eclectic

As November marks Native American Heritage Month in the United States, Dublin-based Chorus Eclectic is set to pay homage to Indigenous people with a performance at Pleasanton’s Firehouse Arts Center titled “Tomorrow’s Yesterday”.

“Celebrate the enduring legacy of Indigenous First Nations through music with Chorus Eclectic’s Tomorrow’s Yesterday,” organizers wrote in the event description. “This inspiring concert honors the values of stewardship, respect for nature, and caring for future generations through music that celebrates Native American artists. Blending powerful choral performances with a message of hope and connection, the program reflects on the gifts we’ve inherited and the responsibility we share to preserve them.”

The show is set for November 21 at 4 pm. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.firehousearts.org/calendar-event/chorus-eclectic-tomorrows-yesterday/

• Livermore Amador Symphony

The Livermore Amador Symphony (LAS) will be playing two back-to-back concerts this December in Livermore.

“In coordination with Livermore Valley Arts and in partnership with Valley Dance Theatre, the Symphony Association presents a short, fun-filled concert to celebrate the holiday season on Saturday December 5 at 3 p.m. inside Livermore’s Bankhead Theater,” organizers with LAS wrote on their website.

Following the show, there will be an “instrument petting zoo” staffed by orchestra members in the lobby for children.

Later that same night in the same venue, LAS is set to present “Hope and Joy”, a musical journey of optimism and hope featuring the music of American composers Samuel Barber and the late Michael Tilson Thomas. The show explores themes of darkness moving into light.

Hometown favorite flute soloist Annie Wu will play the virtuosic and lyrical Tilson Thomas piece “Notturno” plus a comedic depiction of the lively carnival of Venice. The group will finish the evening on a radiant note with Antonín Dvořák’s joyous Symphony No. 8.

More info can be found at livermoreamadorsymphony.org

• Pacific Chamber Orchestra

The Pacific Chamber Orchestra (PCO) will present Handel's “Messiah" at Del Valle Theater in Walnut Creek at 3 pm, November 28 and at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore at 3 pm on November 29.

Audiences are invited to join in the joyous performance with a singalong reprise of the beloved “Hallelujah Chorus”, PCO officials said.

PCO presents Part I and favorites from Parts II and III, including “Why Do Nations Rage?,” “The Trumpet Shall Sound” and the glorious “Amen” chorus.

“Messiah” is a sacred choral oratorio that tells the biblical story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Composed by George Frideric Handel in 1741, “Messiah” contains 53 songs, referred to as movements that are grouped into three parts. Part I tells of God's plan to redeem humankind through a Messiah and the birth of Christ; Part II covers the death and resurrection of Christ; and Part III emphasizes the promise of resurrection and glorification of Christ, according to the Handel + Haydn Society.

Accomplished and acclaimed soloists Oriana Geis-Fallab (soprano), Sara Couden (alto), Arnold Livingston Geis (tenor) and Efrain Solis (baritone) join the orchestra and PCO Chorus for the upcoming local performances.

“Bring family and friends and lift your voice with us for a glorious afternoon of music!,” officials said.

On December 27, the group is set to present “Dreams & Magic”, an afternoon of family-friendly music from Disney films with Maestro Lawrence Kohl.

“Journey under the sea with ‘The Little Mermaid', fall in love with ‘Beauty and the Beast', and rediscover music that has enchanted generations,” officials said.

Livermore’s own Nicole King, star of “Anastasia”, returns to headline alongside tenor Ken Christopher and the PCO Chorus.

“With outstanding soloists, the PCO Chorus, and the orchestra’s exceptional musicians, our programs will be wonderful afternoons of music for audiences of all ages!”

More information and tickets at pacificchamberorchestra.org.

• Valley Concert Chorale

The Valley Concert Chorale is preparing for “Sing-It-Yourself Messiah” scheduled for December 4 at 7:30 pm. This year, the performance will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Pleasanton and will be free to the public for the first time.

“Please come, bring a friend, invite the family, as we sing Handel's Messiah together (music will be provided),” the group wrote in a social media post announcing the concert.

More information is available at https://valleyconcertchorale.org/

• Valley Dance Theatre

The Tri-Valley's premier ballet company will continue its annual tradition of presenting “The Nutcracker” at the Bankhead Theater.

“This annual Tri-Valley holiday event continues to enchant audiences of all ages, bringing Tchaikovsky’s well-known music and ballet to life with all of its elegance and beauty,” VDT officials wrote on their website describing the show.

“Thrill to a stage filled with one magical nutcracker, a swirl of lovely snowflakes, adorable mice, dancing soldiers and a glittering sugar plum fairy. For over 40 years, Valley Dance Theatre’s full production of The Nutcracker, accompanied by the Valley Dance Theatre Pit Orchestra has entertained families each holiday season.

Audiences can expect the elaborate sets, skilled dancers and beautiful costumes that VDT has become known for over the years.

Performance dates include December 12 at 2 pm and 7 pm, December 13 at 2 pm, December 18 at 7 pm, December 19 at 2 pm and 7 pm and December 20 at 2 pm and 7 pm.

More information about “The Nutcracker” can be found at https://www.valleydancetheatre.com/.

• Livermore Valley Opera

Although Livermore Valley Opera (LVO) does not have holiday-themed performances planned, the group will be hosting a celebration of life performance next month in honor of their late artistic director, Erie Mills, who died on June 23 at the age of 73.

“She was a celebrated coloratura soprano who sang with San Francisco Opera and on many of the world's great stages,” representatives with LVO noted. “She was also the first singer elected to the Board of OPERA America and a longtime professor of music at San José State University.”

“Erie was part of the LVO family since 2009 and led the company's artistic vision from 2016 onward. The tribute will feature remarkable vocal soloists accompanied by an orchestra led by LVO Music Director Alex Katzman, alongside noted guest speakers, all celebrating the music and artistry that shaped Erie’s remarkable life,” LVO officials said of the event set for 7 pm on November 11 at Livermore’s Bankhead Theater.

The celebration is open to the public, and all are welcome, RSVP is requested at https://livermorevalleyopera.com/.