Dear Friends,
Thank you for joining us for the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra’s special 75th anniversary season! That’s right; it was 75 years ago that Dr. Antonia Brico first founded our organization, originally known as the Denver Businessmen’s Orchestra. What started as a way for Dr. Brico to further solidify herself as a conductor in the male-dominated, 1940s classical music scene has grown and blossomed over the many years since. Looking back, we can’t help but marvel at how far we’ve come—both as an organization and as a community.
This season is all about celebrating that history. We’re proud to bring you one of our most diverse programs yet, featuring music from a varied slate of composers and guest artists. Our anniversary season includes familiar gems, hidden treasures, and a Colorado premiere! Plus, it all culminates in a spectacular encore of the Denver Philharmonic’s very first concert back in May 1947. A beautiful season finale to cap off an extraordinary, reverent season.
What’s more? We’ll highlight it all at our newly renovated home at Central Presbyterian Church. No more construction. No more limited access. No more external bathrooms. Yet another thing to celebrate this coming year!
From the bottom of our hearts here at the DPO, thank you for making it all possible. You’re part of our family. We’ve built this together over the last 75 years, and we couldn’t be more grateful. That’s 75 years of music and community: treasured time with treasured memories.
Let’s celebrate!
DECEMBER 16 & 17, 2022
Antonia Brico Stage at Central Presbyterian Church
Denver, Colorado · 7:30 pm & 3:00 pm
Lawrence Golan, conductor
Kevin T. Padworski; artistic director, Colorado Chorale
Victor Hely-Hutchinson
From A Carol Symphony: Adeste Fidelis
arr. Arlin Snesrud
Christmas Traditions
Featuring Colorado Chorale
arr. Calvin Custer
Chanukah Festival Overture
arr. Jerry Brubaker
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
arr. Barrington Brooks
Betelehemu
Colorado Chorale; Kevin T. Padworski, artistic director
John Williams
“Star of Bethlehem” and “Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas” from Home Alone
Featuring Colorado Chorale
• 20-MINUTE INTERMISSION •
Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky
“Waltz of the Flowers” from The Nutcracker
Leroy Anderson
Sleigh Ride
Rosephanye Powell
Christus Natus Est
Featuring Colorado Chorale
George Frideric Handel
“Hallelujah Chorus” from The Messiah
Featuring Colorado Chorale
Michael Isaacson
Light the Legend
Colorado Chorale; Kevin T. Padworski, artistic director
Victor Hely-Hutchinson
From A Carol Symphony: Scherzo: God Rest You Merry Gentlemen
Lee Norris
Christmas Pops Sing-Along I
Featuring Colorado Chorale and YOU!!
Sing along with us!
Concert duration: Approximately 120 minutes, including intermission
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CHRISTMAS POPS SING-ALONG!
Christmas Pops Sing-Along offers plenty of songs you likely know well, most of them Christmas-related thought having more to do with winter itself. Let's hear you sing along!
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin’ to town
He's making a list
He's checkin’ it twice
He's gonna find out who's naughty or nice
Santa Claus is comin’ to town
He sees you when you're sleepin’
And he knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm tellin’ you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go
Take a look at the five and ten, glistening once again
With candy canes and silver lanes that glow
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Toys in every store
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door
Silver Bells
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
Children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile
And on every street corner you hear:
Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring a ling, hear them ring
Soon it'll be Christmas day
Winter Wonderland
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight
We're happy tonight
Walkin’ in a winter wonderland
Gone away is the bluebird
Here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song
While we go along
Gone a walkin’ in a winter wonderland
In the meadow, we can build a snowman
We'll pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say, are you married?
We'll say, no man
But you can do the job when you're in town
Later on, we'll conspire
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid
The plans that we've made
Walking in a winter wonderland
Frosty the Snowman
Frosty the Snowman
Was a jolly happy soul
With a corn cob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal
Frosty the Snowman
Is a fairytale they say
He was made of snow, but the children know
How he came to life one day
There must have been some magic
In that old silk hat they found
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around
Oh, Frosty the Snowman
Was alive as he could be
And the children say he could laugh and play
Just the same as you and me
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
"Rudolph, with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
You'll go down in history"
White Christmas
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmas' be white