Holiday Music 2016

admin Posted On November 21, 2016

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Holiday Music 2016: from Ronnie Spector and Darlene Love to Handel’s Messiah andThe Brandenburg Concertos. Plus, Winter Pops with the Westchester Philharmonic, Holiday Sing Along with the Chappaqua Orchestra and the 20th (at least) annual Rob Mathes Christmas Concert at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College.Did we mention Cyndi Lauper and Mariah Carey?

Where To Hear: Holiday Music

Darlene Love, Paramount Hudson Valley – Sat, 11/19: 8pm: Rolling Stone called her “one of the greatest singers of all time.” Her 1962 hit with The Crystals, “He’s A Rebel” reached #1 on the US Hot 100 charts. She was featured on the celebrated Christmas album A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector on “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”. Here she sings her greatest hits and holiday classics.(1008 Brown St., Peekskill; www.paramounthudsonvalley.com)

Jim Brickman, Comfort & Joy, Paramount Hudson Valley – Fri, 11/25: 8pm: Piano virtuoso, two time Grammy nominee and Songwriter of the Year winner, Jim Brickman celebrates the season with his holiday show that he has performed at the White House, Carnegie Hall and Disney World. (1008 Brown St., Peekskill; www.paramounthudsonvalley.com)

Michael Bolton Holiday & Hits, Tarrytown Music Hall – Fri, 11/25: 8pm. Multiple Grammy Award-winner, Michael Bolton (that voice) sings holiday classics and his top hits (“How Am I Supposed To Live Without You”, “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay”, “When A Man Loves a Woman”.) (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

New Choral Society, Messiah, Part I & Three Nativity Carols, Scarsdale – Fri, 12/2: 8pm & Sun, 12/4: 3pm: The Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah is the traditional season-opener for the New Choral Society. Filled with familiar and uplifting choruses and solos, including the famed “Hallelujah Chorus”, it is a festive way to begin the holiday season. This year’s concert will also present a new work by Stephen Paulus, Three Nativity Carols. (Hitchcock Presbyterian Church, 6 Greenacres Avenue, Scarsdale; www.newchoralsociety.org)

Westchester All Stars Christmas for Wounded Veterans, Paramount Hudson Valley, Fri, 12/2: 7:30pm: An evening of comedy, classic rock and holiday music. Featuring comedian Tony Darrow (Goodfellas & The Sopranos), Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Rascals guitarist, Gene Cornish, guitar legend Earl Slick (David Bowie & John Lennon), rock drummer Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge) and many more. This show raises funds for wounded veterans organizations including The Bob Woodruff Foundation and features a visit from Santa Claus. (Paramount Hudson Valley, 1008 Brown St., Peekskill; www.paramounthudsonvalley.com)

Local! Chappaqua Orchestra, Holiday Sing Along – Sat, 12/3: 3:30pm: The New Castle Orchestra’s Holiday Sing Along is a longstanding annual event that features traditional holiday favorites for the sing-a-long. The town tree lighting at the Horace Greeley House at 4:30pm follows the event. (Bell Middle School, 50 Senter St., Chappaqua; www.chappaquaorchestra.com)

Cyndi Lauper & Friends: Home for the Holidays, Beacon Theatre – Sat, 12/3: 8pm: For the past five years this music_cyndilauper_ Holiday Music 2016 concert has played to sold out audiences. This year’s lineup includes Ballets with a Twist, Aloe Blacc, Boro indie-rockers Big Thief and the Oxymorrons, Smashing Pumpkins lead singer Billy Corgan, America’s Got Talent-winner Grace Venderwaal, Turkish rapper Maya Jupiter, comedians Judy gold and Kate Bornstein and more. (Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, NYC; www.beacontheatre.com)

Clayton Bryant & Friends, Home for the Holidays, Paramount Hudson Valley – Sat, 12/3: 8pm: Clayton Bryant returns to the Paramount with his holiday extravaganza featuring holiday classics, pop, R&B and Gospel. (Paramount Hudson Valley, 1008 Brown St., Peekskill; www.paramounthudsonvalley.com)

John Pizzarelli Holiday Hits & More, Tarrytown Music Hall –  Sat, 12/3: 8pm: World-renowned guitarist and singer, John Pizzarelli was hailed by the Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.” In recent tours he has expanded his repertoire to include the works of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Lennon-McCartney. Here he mixes in holiday jazz. (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Will & Anthony, A Broadway Holiday, Stamford Palace – Sat, 12/3: 8pm: Reminiscent of the classic Christmas Specials of Bing Crosby, Will & Anthony’s holiday show celebrates the holidays with fresh takes on classic Christmas songs, Broadway hits and Italian music. Expect to hear such songs as “Joy to the World”, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”, ”Silent Night”, “The Christmas Song”, “Lullaby of Broadway”, “O Sole Mio” and more. (61 Atlantic St., Stamford; www.stamfordpalace.org)

SNL’s Ana Gasteyer & Julian Fleisher, The Jews Who Wrote Christmas, Nyack – Sat, 12/3: 8pm: This holiday concert, based on the WNYC Radio Special, features Saturday Night Live’s Ana Gasteyer (Schweddy Balls) singing Christmas songs written by Jews with Julian Fleischer & His Band. Such as Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas”, Jule Styne’s “Let It Snow”, And Johnny Marks’ “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”and more. Tickets are just $25 in advance or $30 at the door for this ArtsRock event. (First Reformed Church, 18 S. Broadway, Nyack; www.artsrock.org)

Melissa Etheridge Holiday Trio, Ridgefield Playhouse – Mon, 12/5: 8pm: Melissa performs songs from her 2008 holiday album New Thought for Christmas including “Merry Christmas Baby”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “O Night Divine”. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

Mariah Carey, All I Want for Christmas Is You, Beacon Theatre – 12/5-`17: Mariah’s third annual holiday show at the intimate Beacon Theatre is the deal of the season for Mariah Carey fans. Imagine the electricity when the sings the show’s signature song and Mariah’s contribution to the classical holiday songbook, “All I Want For Christmas Is You”. Mon, 12/5, Wed-Thurs, 12/7-8, Sat-Sun, 12/10-11, Tues-Wed, 12/13-14 & Fri-Sat, 12/16-17: 8pm. (Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, NYC; www.beacontheatre.com)

The Wizards of Winter, Tarrytown Music Hall – Thurs, 12/8: 8pm: The Wizards featuring three original members of Trans-Siberian Orchestra bring their symphonic & progressive rock vibe and sounds of the season to the Music Hall. Expect a light show, TSO hits like “Christmas in Sarajevo”, “Mad Russian”. Christmas in the Air” and “Queen of the Mother Night”. Plus songs from their rock opera “Tales Beneath a Northern Star”. (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Christmas with The Celts, Ridgefield Playhouse – Fri, 12/9: 8pm: The Celts mix traditional Irish music with American pop, original songs, ancient Irish and Scottish carols and traditional Christmas favorites. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

Stamford Symphony presents Handel’s Messiah – Sat, 12/10: 8pm: The Stamford Symphony takes on Part I & and the Hallelujah Chorus from Part II of Handel’s classic oratorio at The Basilica of St. John The Evangelist in Stamford. “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain.” (Basilica of St. John The Evangelist, 279 Atlantic St., Stamford; www.palacestamford.org)

The New York Tenors, Westchester Broadway Theater, Tues, 12/13: 11:15am & 6:15pm: If you missed them at Carnegie Hall last Christmas, you can catch them in Elmsford this year. How’s that for service? The NY Tenors sing Christmas classics from the days of Irving Berlin right up to songs from the millennial generation. (One Broadway Plaza, Elmsford; www.BroadwayTheatre.com.)

Local! All Handel for the Holidays – Bedford Chamber Concerts – Wed, 12/14: 8pm: Music Director Dr. Anthony Newman conducts the Bedford Chamber Ensemble in a performance of Handel’s Water Music, Suite No. 2, Music for the Royal Fireworks and Concerto Grosso op.6, no. 5. Described by Wynton Marsalis as ”the high priest of Bach” and by Time magazine as “the high priest of the harpsichord, ”Mr. Newman may be America’s foremost Baroque interpreter – and a local treasure. (St. Matthews Church, 382 Cantitoe St., Bedford: www.bedfordchamberconcerts.com)

Ronnie Spector’s Best Xmas Party Ever, Tarrytown Music Hall – Thurs, 12/15: 8pm: 60’s girl group icon and lead singer for The Ronettes, Ronnie Spector returns to the Music Hall with her popular holiday show! The Ronettes were featured on the classic album A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector on “Sleighride”, “Frosty the Snow Man” and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”. Their top hits include “Be My Baby”, “Baby I Love You”, “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up” and their Grammy-winner “Walking In the Rain”. (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org

Handel’s Messiah, New York Philharmonic, Tues-Thurs, & Sat, 12/15-17 & 19: 7:30pm: Conductor Jane Glover, Heidi Stober (soprano), Tim Mead (countertenor), Paul Appleby (tenor) and Roderick Williams (baritone) and the Westminster Symphonic Choir take on Part I and Part II of the most famous and beloved chorale works of all time. (David Geffen Hall, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, NYC: www.newyorkphilharmonic.com)

Jessica Lynn Country Christmas Part, Paramount Hudson Valley, Fri, 12/16: 8pm: She’s a New Yorker and a country music star. Whaaa? She returns to the Paramount where she recorded her most recent full length PBS television special with a country Christmas Party. Bring a toy for “Toys for Tots”. (Paramount Hudson Valley, 1008 Brown St., Peekskill; www.paramounthudsonvalley.com)

Cherish the Ladies “A Celtic Christmas”, Tarrytown Music Hall – Fri, 12/16: 8pm: This Grammy Award nominated Irish-American super-group broke the glass ceiling in the male-dominated Celtic music scene with their virtuosic instrumentals, vocals and step dancing. They’ve played at the White House, the Olympics and on their own PBS television special. (13 Main St., Tarrytown; www.tarrytownmusichall.org)

Rob Mathes Holiday Show, Performing Arts Center, Purchase, Fri-Sat, 12/16-17: 8pm: Rock around the Christmas tree with Rob Mathes and his all-star band and chorus. Rob has performed this feel-good evening of holiday rock, jazz and blues at PAC for over two decades. Mathes has worked with virtually every big name in the music industry. He has arranged, produced, directed, recorded and performed with Bono, Sting, Tony Bennett and Bruce Springsteen. “This holiday production puts a new spin on Christmas classics” –The New York Times (Pepsico Theatre, 735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.artscenter.org)

The Brandenburg Concertos, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center – 12/16, 18 & 20: The Brandenburg Concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach are considered among the finest musical compositions of the Baroque era. The New York Times called The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s annual performances at Alice Tully Hall a “New York holiday staple.” This is when you can get your holiday Bach fix. Fri, 12/16: 7:30pm, Sun, 12/18: 5pm & Tues, 12/20: 7:30pm. (Alice Tully Hall, 1941 Broadway, NYC; www.lincolncenter.org)

Taghkanic Chorale 50^th, Baroque Anniversary Festival, 12/17 & 18: Taghkanic Chorale’s 50^th Anniversary gala presents a brass quartet, organ and soloists in a program that includes: Rossi’s Kaddish, Keter and Elohi Hashivenu, Gabrielli’s In Ecclesiis, Mendelssohn’s Im Advent, Monteverdi’s Lauda Jerusalem and Vivaldi’s Gloria. Sat, 12/17: 8pm. (Presbyterian Church of Mt. Kisco, 605 Millwood Rd., Mt. Kisco) Sun, 12/18: 4pm (Vallhalla Holiday Music 2016 United Methodist Church, 200 Columbus Ave., Valhalla) www.taghkanicchorale.org)

A Darlene Love Christmas, Ridgefield Playhouse, Sun, 12/18: 8pm: Perhaps the greatest of the singers from Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” hit factory, Darlene Love’s songbook includes “He’s a Rebel”, “Da Doo Ron Ron”, and “He’s Sure the Boy I’m Gonna Marry”. She was featured on four songs on the classic holiday album A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector including, “White Christmas”, “Marshmallow World”, “Winter Wonderland” and “Christmas (Baby Please come Home)”. (80 E. Ridge, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org)

Hot Ticket Alert! Westchester Philharmonic’s Winter Pops, Ted Sperling conducts Ashley Brown and Ji – Sun, 12/18: 3pm: In one of our favorite events of the season, Tony-winner Ted Sperling conducts a program of popular and classical hits. Ashley Brown (who was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance in Mary Poppins) will perform Broadway showstoppers. The pianist Ji will perform an audience-favorite selection of Rachmaninoff. You may remember him from the “Android” commercial seen during the Grammys that went viral and made him a breakout sensation. The program also includes Bernstein’s Candide Overture and the Waltz from Tchaikovsky’s Serenade. PS Don’t miss the after party with the stars! (Concert Hall, The Performing Arts Center Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase: www.westhcesterphil.org)