‘A Joyous Holiday Gathering” will be presented by Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra, based in the West Windsor and Plainsboro area, on Sunday, December 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Princeton Alliance Church in Plainsboro. The orchestra consists of professional musicians, high-level amateurs, university students, and gifted pre-college students. Its conductor, Chiu-Tze Lin, is a highly acclaimed musician who has performed around the world and is active throughout the tri-state area. Tickets are $15 to $25.
Singers from area choruses and church choirs will bring selections from the Christmas section of Handel’s “Messiah.” Lyn Ransom, director of VOICES, a professional choral group in central New Jersey, conducts.
West Windsor residents on Bravura’s board of trustees include Grace Hao, Wen Bash, Wen Zhang, and Liz von Autenried. Chiu-Ling Lin of West Windsor is a board member and keyboard player in the orchestra. Kevin Tsai of West Windsor is Bravura’s concertmaster.
The concert program will include the “Emperor Waltz” by Johannes Strauss. It was composed in 1889, as a symbolic toast to friendship from the Emperor of Austria to the German Kaiser. Originally called “Hand in Hand,” the “Emperor Waltz” is a piece that enthralls the audience with joyous music that culminates in a triumphant trumpet fanfare.
The orchestra continues its celebration with “A Christmas Eve Suite” by Rimsky-Korsakov, a concert suite based on his opera of the same name. Its famous third movement, Polonaise, is an all-time classic for holiday concerts. The “Overture of Jewish Themes” brings a festive holiday tradition from the rich cultural diversity in central New Jersey. The audience will be invited to join in the ever-popular holiday music sing-along at the end of the concert.
