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Holiday Cheer!
PROGRAM BOOK
Welcome!
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!

The 2022-23 Season
Holiday Cheer!

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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Sing-Along Lyrics
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