WSO tunes up for Steinbach concert

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This article was published 03/12/2017 (2333 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s Manitoba Hydro Holiday Tour pulls into Steinbach on Dec. 5, and conductor Julian Pellicano says the concert will once again feature a little audience participation.

“We like to see if we can give each location a little bit of a personal touch. One of the ways that we do that is by inviting the audience to sing with us, which I love,” he said.

The singalong portion is designed to take advantage of the province’s deep well of musical talent, he explained.

“In Manitoba, there are so many great singers here. It’s maybe a little more pronounced than in other parts of the world.”

The WSO’s performance will also take listeners through an array of holiday classics, from the Nutcracker to cherished hymns.

“There are lighter songs, there are more sacred songs, and we try to have a good mix of the two in our concert,” Pellicano said.

The concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m. at Steinbach Mennonite Church, will see Pellicano reprise his role as Holiday Tour conductor for the fifth time. The chance to perform in different communities is one of the job’s perks, he said.

“It’s a great for us to leave Winnipeg and bring music to some communities that we don’t get to go to very often, and meet new people, and just spread what is so great about the Winnipeg Symphony to as many Manitobans as we possibly can. There’s really no better time to do that than around Christmas.”

Numerous special guests will also perform, including Winnipegger and world champion karaoke singer Elsaida Alerta and Bothwell School’s youth vocal ensemble Hanover Holiday Singers. In addition, local artist Arlene Enns will paint as the music plays, and Steinbach MLA Kelvin Goertzen and his son, Malachi, will team up to narrate Twas the Night Before Christmas.

“There a lot of moving parts. That’s one of the things that we enjoy about it,” Pellicano said.

Tickets are $28 for adults, $12 for students, and $6 for music and theatre students. Package specials for families, seniors, classrooms, and corporations are also available.

To order, call the Steinbach Arts Council at 346-1077 or visit steinbachartscouncil.ca.

Attendees are asked to bring an unwrapped toy in support of Steinbach Community Christmas.