Kick off your holiday season with the Conway Symphony Orchestra’s annual holiday extravaganza, Tinsel and Tutus, Saturday, Dec. 1, 7:30pm at Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway. The orchestra will be joined once again by the Arkansas Festival Ballet, plus special guests the Central Arkansas Children’s Choir and Parkview Arts and Science Magnet School choir. Audience members of all ages will enjoy highlights from The Nutcracker, new arrangements of holiday favorites, and a special visitor from the North Pole. The performance is underwritten by Conway Corporation, with Guest Artist Sponsors Smith Ford and Morgan Keegan Raymond James, and Hospitality Sponsor Nabholz Construction.
Tickets are $6 for children and students, and $20-$38 for adults, with a discount rate of $15 for groups of 10 or more. Purchase tickets at the Reynolds box office, (501) 450-5506, toll free 866-810-0012 outside of Conway, or at ConwaySymphony.org.
“This concert is THE Christmas event in Conway,’ exclaims conductor Israel Getzov. “There is no other place where you can enjoy live music, amazing dancing, and glorious singing, all in one place!’ Audience favorites such as Sleigh Ride and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer will bring the holiday spirit alive for the whole family.
For the second half of the performance, the orchestra will be joined once again by Arkansas Festival Ballet for selections from The Nutcracker, including the well-known “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” “Trepak,” “Arabian Dance,” “Chinese Dance,” and “Waltz of the Flowers.” The Little Rock-based Arkansas Festival Ballet is a repertory ballet company under the artistic direction of Rebecca Miller Stalcup. “We are delighted to once again bring the festive joy of the Nutcracker ballet to the Reynolds stage in Conway,” says AFB executive director Janet Aronson.
Special guests Central Arkansas Children’s Choir will join the Parkview Arts and Science Magnet school choir to perform “Carol of the Drum.” The CACC is an award-winning, auditioned choral program for 4th-9th grade treble voices, which has performed at events across the state and in national music festivals, under the direction of Ryan Fisher and Paige Rose. With a nationally renowned fine arts program, Parkview Magnet choir performs across the state under the direction of Carolyn Foreman.
Santa will be available for visits during intermission, and parents are encouraged to bring cameras to capture the moment. The CSO Guild will also have gift items available for purchase from local artisans, so be sure to bring your holiday shopping list!
Before the concert, the Conway Symphony Orchestra Guild will host Nutcracker Sweets, 6:00-7:00 in the AETN classroom, just two buildings down from the concert hall. Children can meet the dancers and the Maestro, hear the stories of The Nutcracker, plus enjoy cookies and coloring activities. Tickets are $5 for children, free for adults accompanying a child, and are available at ConwaySymphony.org or by calling (501) 269-1066. Space is limited, so paid reservations are required.
Now in its 28th season, the Conway Symphony Orchestra brings professional concerts, exciting guest artists and high-quality music to the Central Arkansas community. For more information on concerts and other programs, visit ConwaySymphony.org or call (501) 269-1066.
