GRAFTON, Vt. – The Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO) invites audiences across the state to celebrate the holiday season with its beloved annual Brass Quintet and Counterpoint Chorus holiday concert tour, visiting the Grafton Community Church, 55 Main Street in Grafton, on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 5-7 p.m. Admission is free with advanced registration required at www.vso.org/vso-event/brass-quintet-counterpoint-chorus-grafton; seating is limited.
Conducted by Nathaniel G. Lew, this cherished VSO tradition brings together festive brass and choral music in a joyful program featuring traditional carols, contemporary works, and a world premiere by a Vermont high school composer.
This year’s performances include timeless carols such as “Silent Night,” “Deck the Halls,” and “The First Nowell,” and a focus on compositions by Vermont composer Erik Nielsen alongside works of Moses Hogan for chorus, and Tylman Susato and Anne McGinty for brass.
“The Brass Quintet and Counterpoint Chorus tour remains one of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s beloved and enduring holiday traditions,” said Elise Brunelle, executive director of the VSO. “Each year, this program unites Vermonters across communities and generations, inviting them to share in the warmth, beauty, and joy that live music brings during the holiday season.”
In collaboration with Music-COMP, the VSO proudly showcases new works by emerging Vermont composers, to highlight the creativity and talent of young musicians across the state. This year’s program features a world premiere by Sam Acus, a Mount Mansfield Union High School student, multi-instrumentalist, and Music-COMP composer. A lifelong musician headed to Berklee College of Music next year to study jazz mandolin, Acus explores the topic of climate change and collective hope in his composition.
“My piece ‘A Warm Winter’ is about climate change, and all the scary stuff going on in the world today – but more than that, it’s about hope. It’s a call to action. I want people to remember that we can fix things if we work together,” explained Acus. “I believe deeply in the power of music to change the world and to heal people. This piece helped me process my own emotions about climate change, and I hope it helps others feel and act, too.”
For more information and to reserve tickets, visit www.vso.org.