A series of arts events culminate Dec. 9 when Arts Day closes with a musical flourish in Maricopa Music Circle’s Grand Holiday Concert at University of Arizona’s Maricopa Agricultural Center.[quote_box_right]IF YOU GO
What: Grand Holiday Concert
Who: Maricopa Music Circle, Maricopa Chorus, Desert Sun Performing Arts
When: Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Maricopa Agricultural Center, 37860 W. Smith-Enke Road
How much: $12 adults age 12 and older; $8 age 11 and younger
Tickets: BrownPaperTickets.com
Info: [email protected], 520-316-6268[/quote_box_right]

MMC is joined by dancers from Desert Sun Performing Arts and Maricopa Chorus carolers to make the event a feast for both ears and eyes. Projections, caroling, and dancing added to seasonal orchestral favorites both familiar and new, from both sides of the Atlantic, convey the many moods of Christmastime.

A rich program includes Tchaikovsky’s entire Nutcracker Suite, Fauré’s haunting Sicilienne, Irving Berlin’s beloved White Christmas, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (whose familiar melody was composed by Felix Mendelssohn), Jingle Bells, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, some toe-tapping Grieg, Ravel’s great Pavane, carols galore – and of course several movements from Handel’s monumental Messiah.

The evening will close with a sing-along to the Hallelujah Chorus – so be ready to join in.

Founded in 2010, MMC performs throughout Maricopa and nearby cities. Maricopa Chorus, led by John Janzen, adds joyous caroling around town every holiday season. DSPA Dancers are local standouts in their movement skills and inventive choreography.

Arts Day starts with the Maricopa Arts Festival 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at The Duke, a marketplace of creative works by the city’s artisans and artists, directed by painter Kaui Wilson. It follows the Dec. 5 unveiling of “Faces of Maricopa,” the newest exhibit at City Hall’s Maricopa Artists’ Gallery. Graphic artist Carl Diedrich has created a novel photography showcase capturing the faces and thoughts of various Maricopans at unplanned moments around town, each picture taken on a different day of the year. Dec. 7 is the opening reception at Maricopa Center for Entrepreneurship for Pam Sutton’s inspired and beautiful paintings and quilts.

Maricopa Music Circle is a central part of the concert.

This story appears in the December issue of InMaricopa.


MOBILE USERS GET NEWS FIRST. Download InMaricopa for Apple and Android devices.