The Modesto Symphony Orchestra’s (MSO) holiday concerts offer fun for the entire family. Complete with holiday décor and your favorite carols, the MSO’s holiday concerts have become community favorites.
The first of the MSO’s two holiday concerts is Holiday Pops! on Friday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. at the Gallo Center for the Arts. Conducted by Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray, this lively and festive concert features Broadway star Ashley Brown and the MSO Chorus.
The Holiday Candlelight Concert will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. in a new location, Our Lady of Fatima Church at 505 W. Granger Ave., in Modesto. MSO Chorus Director, Daniel R. Afonso Jr., will conduct this traditional holiday concert and Our Lady of Fatima Church is the perfect setting for a more intimate concert that will also feature the MSO Chorus and the Opus Handbell Ensemble.
“I’m so looking forward to Holiday Pops this year. It’s always such a wonderful celebration of the holiday season and a great chance for us all to come together as a community,” said Ryan Murray, Principal Pops Conductor for the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. “I’m thrilled that Ashley Brown will be returning this year as our guest soloist. We had such great fun last time Ashley was here and she is truly an incredible performer. She has some fantastic music in store for all of you. I can’t wait to share all this terrific holiday music with you and can’t wait to be on stage with our incredible Modesto Symphony, Modesto Symphony Chorus, and Ashley Brown.”
Holiday Pops headliner, Ashley Brown, returns to Modesto after last performing with the MSO in 2017. She is best known for originating the role of the titular character in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins, for which she received Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, and Drama Desk award nominations. She has performed with many top orchestras in North America, including the Boston Bops, the New York Philharmonic, and The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at Disney Hall.
“The holiday season is always a special time for the MSO,” said Caroline Nickel, President and CEO of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. “We hope that both our Holiday Pops and Holiday Candlelight Concert can bring a little extra warmth and joy to our community. It’s a special feeling being able to take the time to slow down and spend time with friends and family during the holiday season and each year we look forward to extending that feeling to our audiences.”
Performances of Holiday Pops! will be staged at the Gallo Center for the Arts, Mary Stuart Rogers Theater, 1000 I St., Modesto. Ticket prices range from a low of $20 up to $94.
The Holiday Candlelight Concert will be at Our Lady of Fatima Church, 505 W. Granger Ave., Modesto. Tickets are $39/$59 for adults, $10/$20 for youth.
Tickets for both performances are available online through ModestoSymphony.org or through the Gallo Center for the Arts Ticket Office at (209) 338-2100. Groups of 10 or more receive a 15 percent discount on tickets. Call (209) 338-5064 for more information.
Gallo Center Ticket Office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra is a resident company of the Gallo Center for the Arts.
