As the holiday season approaches, musical groups are fine-tuning their festive sets and getting ready to spread joy across Northern Colorado. Here are some local favorites.
Colorado State University’s choral ensembles
Whether they’re majoring in music, were part of their high school choir or are just in it for the camaraderie, one thing CSU’s choral ensemble members have in common is their passion for singing.
“We have performers with different musical experience,” says Nathan Payant, assistant professor of music at the university. “When they all come together, they create something really high level.”
CSU’s choral ensembles will bring a set of 20 holiday songs performed in a traditional choral style to Fort Collins’ First United Methodist Church at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9. A highlight of the evening is the audience sing-along when guests are invited to join in on familiar carols.
“The interactive part of the night is always a lot of fun and a crowd favorite,” Payant says. “We perform timeless Christmas carols, favorite Hanukkah songs and some great secular, wintry music to reach a broad audience.”
He says the flow is what makes the holiday concert unique. Unlike other performances where groups wait backstage, the 150 chamber, concert and university choir members will line the stage and aisles throughout the evening.
“We spread our choirs out all over the church rather than having them come out and perform one at a time,” Payant says. “This way, by the time each sing-along ends, the next group is already in place, ready to perform without any lag time.”
Festive outfits, holiday accessories and a decked-out church complete with trees and garland enhance the holiday spirit. The production is something the choral members look forward to every year.
“The winter concert always sneaks up on us after our fall concert in October,” Payant says. “We don’t have much time to rehearse between Thanksgiving break and finals, but our students love this performance enough to pull it off beautifully.”
Tickets to the All-Choral Holiday Concert are expected to sell out and should be purchased in advance at csuartstickets.universitytickets.com. Prices are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $5 for youth and free for CSU students.
TUBACHRISTMAS performing in Oak Street Plaza, led by conductor Cecil Gutierrez.
TUBACHRISTMAS
The TUBACHRISTMAS tradition began in December 1974, when tuba and euphonium players came together on New York City’s Rockefeller Center stage to pay tribute to renowned tuba player and professor William J. Bell.
The holiday event spread worldwide, with both amateur and professional musicians ages 11 to 80 and older signing up online, rehearsing at home and showing up the day of the performance for a quick practice beforehand.
Fort Collins will once again host its own TUBACHRISTMAS performance at 2 p.m. Dec. 13, when nearly 100 musicians from Colorado and beyond will gather in Oak Street Plaza for a performance led by conductor Cecil Gutierrez.
“Every year it’s a different group,” Gutierrez says. “Together we make some really cool Christmas music.”
TUBACHRISTMAS first arrived in Fort Collins 20 years ago thanks to one of Gutierrez’s adult music students, Millie Oliver.
“I told her if she organized it, I’d conduct,” he recalls. “It was such a success that midway through the concert I announced it was the ‘first annual’ TUBACHRISTMAS. I saw Millie’s eyes widen, but that was that.”
Though Oliver has since passed, her dream continues with Gutierrez at the helm. The former Loveland High School band director, commander of the 101st Army Band of the Colorado National Guard and mayor of Loveland (2009-2017) says the event remains one of his favorite traditions.
“There’s a camaraderie that builds during our two-hour rehearsal,” he says. “It feels like being a kid again, waiting to open that first Christmas present, and it culminates in a concert in front of a terrific crowd.”
The ensemble performs classic carols, including “Silent Night.” Gutierrez especially enjoys “Jingle Bells,” when the group honors active duty military members, veterans and first responders.
“The low-pitched instruments of the tuba family—tubas, baritones and euphoniums— create a sound that’s really unique,” he says. “That sound, combined with the diverse mix of players we get each year, makes it a wonderful way to kick off the season.”
For more information on the history of TUBACHRISTMAS, visit tubachristmas.com.
Updates on this year’s Fort Collins performance can be found at downtownfortcollins.com.
Don Elwood Big Band playing at the Snow Ball Gala.
Don Elwood Big Band
Guitarist Jerry Boynton says that when it comes to the holiday season, the Don Elwood Big Band would happily play every weekend.
The 18-piece band has been performing across Northern Colorado for more than a decade. During the holidays, the group adds a holiday spin to its signature swing sound with jazz arrangements of carols such as “Deck the Halls” and “Little Drummer Boy.”
“The arrangements are a delight,” Boynton says. “There’s nothing like hearing the sound of big band Christmas in the air.”
One of the group’s most cherished performances takes place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at First United Methodist Church in Berthoud. The church provides rehearsal space, and the band gives back with a free holiday show each December.
In past years, the group has also played at Centerra’s Winter Wonderlights, Goodtimes Dance Club in Fort Collins and the Cheyenne Dance Club. While this year’s calendar was still being finalized as of press time, holiday concerts are in the works. The band is excited to bring joy to the community this season, including their own.
“All of us have jobs and other commitments, but this is our passion,” Boynton says. “The core group has been together for so long that we’ve become a family.”
Visit donelwoodbigband.com for a performance calendar and updates.
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Local Musicians’ Favorite Holiday Tunes
LISTEN HERE!
Nathan Payant’s Playlist:
“Glow” by Eric Whitacre
“Sing We Now of Christmas” arranged by Kyle Pederson
“Wexford Carol” arranged by Elaine Hagenberg
“Betelehemu” (Nigerian Carol) arranged by Barrington Brooks
“The Everlasting Flame” by Yoni Fogelman
“Angels We Have Heard on High” arranged by Matthew Culloton
Cecil Gutierrez’s Playlist:
“Silent Night” sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford
“O Holy Night” sung by Josh Groban
“Silver Bells” sung by Jim Reeves
“Frosty the Snowman” sung by Ella Fitzgerald
Jerry Boynton’s Playlist:
“Good King Wenceslas” arranged by Mike Collins-Dowden
“Jingle Bells” performed by the GleNn Miller Orchestra
“The Little Drummer Boy” arranged by Rob Holmes
“The Christmas Song” arranged by Mark Taylor
“The First Noel” arranged by Mark Taylor
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More Upcoming Holiday Performances Around NOCO
Holidays in Hawaii – Jake Shimabukuro
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4
Rialto Theater Center in Loveland
tickets.rialtotheatercenter.org
The Nutcracker – Canyon Concert Ballet
Thursday, Dec. 4, through
Sunday, Dec. 7 (times vary)
The Lincoln Center in Fort Collins
Poinsettia Pops – Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra & Greeley Chorale
7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6
Union Colony Civic Center in Greeley
A Winter’s Eve – Megan Burtt and Brent Cowles
7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17
The Armory in Fort Collins
Christmas Brass – Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra
7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, through Saturday, Dec. 20
Performed at churches across Northern Colorado
A Candlelight Christmas – The Larimer Chorale
7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20
First Presbyterian Church in Fort Collins
