SCHENECTADY — Empire State Youth Orchestra, known regionally and nationally for engaging young musicians from upstate New York and western Massachusetts in a joyful pursuit of musical excellence, announced its 2021 Holiday Spectacular, Sleigh Ride. The family-friendly holiday concert, scheduled for 3 P.M. on Sunday, Dec. 19, at Proctors in Schenectady, features a sleigh full of talent, including ESYO’s flagship ensemble Symphony Orchestra conducted by former ESYO Music Director Helen Cha-Pyo, the newly formed ESYO Chamber Orchestra, and the ESYO Youth Jazz Orchestra. National recording artist and 2019 American Idol finalist Madison VanDenburg returns home for the holidays to premiere the orchestral version of her new single, “The Light of Christmas,” with ESYO.
The concert program weaves together a seasonal story by Children’s Moonbeam Book award-winning author Vicki Addesso Dodd with sparkling holiday favorites, Christmas carols, and inspired Symphonic classics.. After finding themselves aboard Santa’s sleigh, audiences travel the world seeing the holidays through the eyes of a child and the sounds of music. Accompanying each scene is music like Leroy Anderson’s iconic Christmas jingle Sleigh Ride, Waldteufel’s Skaters Waltz, “Troika” by Prokofiev, and a jazzy arrangement of We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Also featured on the program is the famed holiday classic (There is No Place Like) Home for the Holidays by Glenville-native Robert Allen. Exhausted from their sleigh ride, the children fall asleep and wake up on Christmas morning to hear the orchestral premiere of Madison VanDenburg’s new hit single. In the finale, the audience is invited to join VanDenburg for a traditional carol sing-along.
For tickets to Sleigh Ride/ An ESYO Holiday Spectacular, call Proctors Box Office at 518-346-6204 or buy online at esyo.org/tickets. Tickets are $25.
