Created and produced by Musicians of the Kansas City Symphony #25DaysofKCS
Click on the numbers below to watch holiday videos
It’s our Advent Calendar’s Day One! Come back each day for holiday fun. Listen to this double reed treat: Fum Fum Fum to play on repeat!
It came upon a midnight clear, a glorious song of old. Performed by Principal Harp Katherine Siochi, on her instrument of gold.
Up on the housetop music abounds, out jump KCS brass sounds. With an original arrangement by Steven Franklin, our trumpet guy!
Overture, Handel in lights! Usually it’s, Messiah’s night! Who needs rehearsing, when we’re far apart?
Have you put up your Christmas tree yet? The KCS Bass section has!
December 6th marks St. Nicholas Day. In Germany, children leave out a boot for St. Nicholas and receive small presents. Luckily for us there’s still time to make the nice list! Here’s the KCS trombone section performing Jolly St. Nicholas.
Fun fact: Did you know that both of the music librarians for the KCS are also clarinet players?! They join the rest of the KCS clarinet section in the note-y rendition of the traditional French carol, Noel Nouvelet.
Corelli is widely recognized as the father of the concerto grosso. Acting Associate Concertmaster Stirling Trent and Associate Principal Second Violin Kristin Velicer perform this excerpt from his Christmas Concerto.
What Child is This? Or Greensleeves? The same rich tune’s enchanting.
We ring in the beginning of Hanukkah today with this arrangement of the traditional Hebrew melody, Rock of Ages.
What KCS section would make for the best arrangement of Carol of the Bells? If you guessed percussion, you’re right! Ding, ding, ding!!!
This time of year we’d normally be in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts performing with the Kansas City Ballet. Enjoy this sugar-free rendition of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, featuring KC Ballet’s own ballerina Naomi Tanioka, with choreography by Artistic Director Devon Carney and Music Director Ramona Pansegrau on the celeste!
The KCS Horn section had fun recording Deck the Halls all over the KC metro! Can you identify where these Christmas trees are located?
Did you know that the original version of Jingle Bells by James Lord Pierpont was titled “One Horse Open Sleigh” and had a slightly different harmonization? Here’s a dashing arrangement featuring the violins of the KCS.
How many World of Warcraft gamers are excited for the Feast of Winter Veil tomorrow?
Today marks the beginning of Las Posadas, celebrated chiefly in Latin America, Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, Spain and by Hispanics in the United States. It symbolizes the biblical journey of Mary and Joseph as they searched for shelter in Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus. Here is the KCS cello section performing the Spanish villancico, Riu Riu Chiu.
December 17th marks the beginning of the ancient Roman festival Saturnalia. Here are members on KCS Horn section performing an arrangement of the Coventry Carol on what may be the most ancient and mystical sounding of all the orchestral instruments, the Wagner tuba.
Today is the last day of Hanukkah! We close out this year’s 8-day festival with this peppy version of O Hanukkah.
The holly and the ivy. Our string quartet asks you, Have you gotten all your shopping done?
Most people have never heard of the American composer William Fry, let alone his Santa Claus Symphony. It’s clear Fry thought the bassoon was the best instrument to represent Santa Claus!
Today’s the darkest day of the year, the Winter Solstice. Take comfort with this arrangement of In the Bleak Midwinter performed by the Viola section of the KCS.
Good King Wenceslas is a Christmas carol that tells the story of a Bohemian king going on a journey and braving harsh winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen. Here’s a performance featuring the brass section of the KCS.
Did you know that when Vivaldi published his famous “The Four Seasons” concerti, he included accompanying sonnets with them? For this excerpt, performed by Principal Second Violinist Tamamo Gibbs, he wrote:
Frozen and trembling in the icy snow,
In the severe blast of the horrible wind,
As we run, we constantly stamp our feet,
And our teeth chatter in the cold.
All is calm. All is bright. Acting Concertmaster, Sunho Kim.
We hope you’ve enjoyed #25daysofKCS! From all of the musicians of the Kansas City Symphony, Happy Holidays!