Heartland Symphony Orchestra to perform familiar and little known Christmas music

The Heartland Symphony Orchestra's holiday concert, "Oh Joyous Song," will include both familiar and little known Christmas music.

One piece is titled "Tintinabulations" by Kathryn Punwar. It is a light novelty piece containing stylistic variations from the familiar holiday song "Jingle Bells" to the elegance of waltz music to the jazzy delight featuring a tuba solo. As the piece ends, the familiar melody takes on the lively sound of country-western music.

With sleigh bells in the background throughout most of the piece, the definition of "Tintinabulations" comes to mind: the ringing sound of bells.

"Christmas Favorites," arranged by Bruce Chase, takes three popular melodies and melds them into one piece of music. "Do You Hear What I Hear" is a traditional Christmas time favorite, originally scored for band, and this piece was arranged by the orchestra's conductor for the St. John's Boys' Choir.

As is tradition with the Heartland Symphony the last piece for the holiday concert will be a David Ott piece titled "Christmas Sing-A-Long." The audience will become part of the performance with songs like "Angels We Have Heard on High," "Hark! The Harold Angels Sing," "Joy to the World," "Silent Night," "First Noel" and "O Come All Ye Faithful."

"Oh Joyous Song" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Tornstrom Auditorium, Washington Middle School, Brainerd, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, in the Charles Martin Auditorium, Little Falls.

Tickets are available at The Brainerd Dispatch, Bridge of Harmony of Brainerd, Bookin' It Bookstore and the Great River Arts Association in Little Falls. To get a season brochure or to order tickets by phone call 1-800-826-1997.