Symphony 3: Holiday Joy

Symphony 3: Holiday Joy
Saturday, December 14, 2024, 7:30 pm
WK Kellogg Auditorium
Western Michigan University Gold Company
Shari Rarick Dancers

It’s a tradition! Battle Creek Symphony’s annual holiday concert is a beloved event in South Central Michigan, and this year’s performance will be one to remember. You’ll be swept away by holiday favorites and enchanted by special guests and local dancers performing on stage with the orchestra. There’s also talk that one famous jolly ole’ fella will drop by for a visit as well. We’ll wrap up the fun with a Christmas carol sing-along and send you home with memories to last you all season.

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Fun Facts about the Concert

✨Win $100! Come decked out in your ugliest Christmas sweater, cozy PJs, or holiday best to enter our drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card and other festive surprises! (must register in lobby)

🎼 Kid’s Conducting Contest: At 7:15 PM, all kids are invited to the front of the stage. Our special judges will select 4 lucky young maestros to conduct Sleigh Ride during the first half of the show!

🎶 Sing-Along Magic: Get ready to join the fun with two audience sing-alongs this year!

🎅 Meet Santa! Snap a pic with the big guy in the lobby and sing carols with him during the concert!

🎟️Join us at Clara’s on the River after the show for an exclusive treat: half off an appetizer with your concert ticket.

Let’s make it a holiday to remember! See you there!

What are Ticket Prices?

Tickets start at $17 for adults and $8 for students and go up to $56 based on the seat location. The least expensive seats are at the back of the balcony and the front closest to the stage.

Here are some other helpful tips you should know as well:

1. The best deal comes when you don’t wait until the very last minute to order tickets. We never offer last minute discounts because we don’t want to undercut patrons who already purchased their seats. Whenever you see a concert you’d like to attend, you get the best seats by not waiting.

2. Another way to save is to buy a subscription. Currently subscriptions for all five concerts are available with great deals. Contact us at 269-963-1911 and we'd be more than happy to find a deal for you.

3. If you’re a student on a budget, be sure to bring your student ID for great discounts.

What's on the program?

How Long is the Concert?

When Do I Clap?

Whenever you want! Seriously, the tradition of clapping only at the end of pieces was only for a short time in the history of music. Typically, people like to clap after a great solo in a jazz tune, an impressive dance move, or after a great movement (section) in a symphony. If you really like a piece, clap at the end of the movement and yell "encore" if you want to hear more. (we love playing encores!)

What Do I Wear?

More than anything, we want you to have fun and express your own style when you come to the Battle Creek Symphony, so dress in a way that works for you. Some people love dressing up and going out—if that’s you, do it and you won’t be the only one, we promise. If you prefer to be more casual, then you probably won’t be the only one dressed casually, either. In short, you do you, and we’re just glad you’re joining us.

Where Do I Park?

I Have More Questions!

Meet the Artist

Gold Company is the lively and award-winning vocal jazz group from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI. Made up of talented undergrads and grads from various music-related majors like jazz studies, vocal performance, and music therapy, this ensemble is a melting pot of musical passion. Alumni have gone on to dazzling careers, from Broadway and Hollywood to touring with stars like Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, Taylor Swift, Sting, and Liza Minnelli. They're also making waves in music production, composition, arranging, publishing, and education, with some leading the nation’s top collegiate vocal jazz programs.

As part of WMU’s cutting-edge Jazz Studies program, Gold Company keeps a packed schedule, performing across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. They've hit the stage at the Jazz Education Network national conference, MusicFest Canada, the Music Educators National Conference, and iconic spots like Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Carnegie Hall, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Gold Company loves collaborating with guest artists. Recent visitors include Kate McGarry and Keith Ganz, Sunny Wilkinson, Sara Gazarek and Josh Nelson, Bobby McFerrin, Gretchen Parlato, Eliane Elias, The Manhattan Transfer, Take Six, New York Voices, The Real Group, Kurt Elling, Curtis Stigers, Esperanza Spalding, Luciana Souza, and many more.