New Haven Symphony Orchestra Concert At Shelton High School Sunday

NEW HAVEN, CT —Holiday music and festive carols will be ringing across Connecticut at the New Haven Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Extravaganza this weekend.

Set to perform Saturday Dec. 17 at 3 p.m., at the Lyman Center for the Performing Arts at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven and again on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 3 p.m. at Shelton High School.

Led by Symphony music director Alasdair Neale, the program will feature the musicians of the orchestra as well as the Fairfield County Children’s Choir in music from The Nutcracker, Polar Express, The Grinch, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, and Home Alone, along with classic carols like Stille Nacht and Deck the Halls.

“One of my favorite Symphony traditions is offering our wonderful audience a chance to give back to their neighbors at these annual Holiday concerts," Symphony CEO Elaine C. Carroll said.

The Community Soup Kitchen of New Haven will be selling concessions and accepting donations in the lobby at the Saturday concert at Southern. And at Sunday's Shelton High School performance, TEAM, Inc. will be collecting unwrapped toys for their Toys 4 Kids holiday drive.

"These organizations do so much for our community," Carroll said, " And the generosity of our Symphony family is a heartwarming reminder of what truly makes this a magical time of year.”

The Symphony has been notified that Santa Claus will be a making a special appearance at both Holiday Extravaganza performances. Maestro Neale has invited Mr. Claus to help lead the sing-along at the end of the program, and Santa will be in the lobby to meet and pose for photos with Symphony fans of all ages.

What to know about the New Haven Symphony Holiday Extravaganza

Saturday, December 17 at 3 p.m. – John C. Lyman Center for the Performing Arts at Southern Connecticut State University

Sunday, December 18 at 3 p.m. – Shelton High School

New Haven Symphony Orchestra featuring Alasdair Neale, music director; Fairfield County Children’s Choir; Myles Tripp, actor

Tickets: Tickets start at $15 and prices vary by performance. Tickets for kids 17 and under are free with the purchase of an adult ticket. To purchase tickets, visit NewHavenSymphony.org or call (203) 693-1486 Monday-Friday from 12-5pm.

About the New Haven Symphony Orchestra

The fourth-oldest orchestra in America, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra’s exceptional and accessible performances and education programs reach more than 40,000 audience members and 20,000 students in a typical year. Innovative programming and a dedication to the commission of new works inspires deeper audience engagement and meaningful artistic and educational collaborations. Through the nationally acclaimed Harmony Fellowship program, as well as numerous award-winning education and community engagement programs, the Symphony strives to be a leader for racial equity in the arts. To learn more about the NHSO, visit NewHavenSymphony.org.

The Holiday Extravaganza is sponsored by Classic Turf, Southern CT State University, Valley Community Foundation, Frontier, and the New Haven Register