Name: MSO Winter Concert: Swingin' in the Holidays
Start: 2025-12-14T16:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-12-14T17:00:00-05:00
Location: 7700 Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, MD

MSO Winter Concert: Swingin' in the Holidays

Valerie Coleman – Umoja – Anthem of Unity
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Arr. Ellington/Strayhorn, orch. Tyzik – Nutcracker Suite
Bill Holcombe – Festive Sounds of Hanukkah
Leroy Anderson – Sleigh Ride
The MSO invites you to celebrate the holiday season with us! In addition to a number a familiar favorites, this performance will feature Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s iconic Nutcracker Suite*, melding the incomparable jazz style of the 1950s with the symphony orchestra. We will also perform Valerie Coleman’s Umoja*, which recognizes the first principle of Kwanzaa: unity. Celebrated from December 26 – January 1, this foundational tenet emphasizes togetherness in the family, community, and nation.
If you’re already excited by this program but are still looking to be more involved, we will once again be hosting our Sleigh Ride Raffle through which all audiences members can receive a raffle ticket at the door, entering for an opportunity to conduct the MSO as we play Leroy Anderson’s catchiest tune: Sleigh Ride! We are so excited to celebrate the holiday season with you, and we look forward to seeing you on Sunday, December 14 at 4:00pm at Sligo Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Takoma Park, MD!
This performance of Ellington/Strayhorn’s Nutcracker Suite and Coleman’s Umoja is made possible through generous donations to our Repertoire Reserve, which supports the performance of works by historically excluded composers. More information regarding this fund, including how to give, can be found on our website: msomd.org/repertoire-reserve