Like most professional musicians, I have just finished the Christmas "marathon". That is, weekly performances of Christmas concerts, beginning the first week of December.
This "marathon" means different things to different people. Some musicians see it as an opportunity to make lots of do-re-mi. After all, whether one views Christmas as a sacred or secular holiday, most everyone agrees that the music is good. Consequently, those people who don't normally attend orchestra concerts come out in droves. Just look at ballet companies. Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker has to account for 15-20% of their ticket sales for the year. Similarly, the Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra and the Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra (the two orchestras for which I serve as music director) experienced record audiences for their respective concerts.
For me, Christmas is more than ticket sales. As I planned the two concerts, it occurred to me (as it does every year) that this holiday is responsible for much of the great orchestral literature we have. Not only do we have great pop arrangements like A Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), but we also have great classical pieces like the above-mentioned Nutcracker. More significant to me, however, are the composers who were inspired by the religious aspects of Christmas. From Adams' O Holy Night to Handel's Messiah, Christmas wouldn't be the same without these musical reminders of the real reason for the season. For me, Christmas concerts are a glorious celebration of Jesus' birth.
Have a blessed Christmas!
