SAN ANGELO, Texas — The San Angelo Symphony’s "A Holly Jolly Holiday Pops Concert" will be a digital experience, requiring the purchase of a digital ticket.
According to Maestro Hector Guzman, music director for the San Angelo Symphony, the original concert date was Saturday, Dec. 5, but because of the increase in COVID-19 cases, the board, staff and Guzman decided to offer a digital experience instead of having an in-person audience.
“We entitled it that way because after what we’ve been through. We thought that was a very good title because the music is festive, it's jolly and has a lot of elements we thought everybody will enjoy,” Guzman said.
Other than viewing the performance from home or the office, Guzman said people can expect great music and try to get people in the Christmas spirit.
“The music is beautiful. We have new arrangements. Patti Wetzel will be our soprano soloist and she will be doing three selections,” Guzman said.
Wetzel will perform two secular selections and an aria from "The Messiah" by Handel and the orchestra will perform Christmas favorites such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” music from the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and arrangements made popular by the Boston Pops.
Guzman said the hope is to have an in-person audience at the jazz concert at the end of January 2021.
This will be the first time a concert will be digital, however, Guzman said if it’s successful, perhaps a digital experience will be offered in addition to an in-person audience in the future.
Symphony subscribers are entitled to the concert and will not be charged an additional fee, according to Guzman.
The cost for a single digital ticket is $30 and can be purchased by calling the symphony office. The buyer will receive a link that can be used on any device such as a computer, phone or television beginning Monday, Dec. 7, and can be viewed multiple times through Sunday, Dec.13.
For people who have never been to a symphony concert, Guzman offered this advice, “If you’ve never been to a symphony concert, perhaps you should try it because this is a live performance a symphony orchestra is not boring, it’s anything but boring.”
For more information, go to sanangelosymphony.org; or call 325-658-5877.
