Baltimore Symphony Adds 10th Performance of Holiday Spectacular Due to Popular Demand

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Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly leads BSO, Broadway Star Ann Hampton Callaway and Capitol Quartet in Broadway-style Performances

Baltimore, Md. (October 5, 2008) – Rivaling the glitz and glamour of a New York City production, BSO Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly will lead the BSO and Tony-nominated host and vocalist Ann Hampton Callaway, the Capitol Quartet, bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch and more than 150 other entertainers in 10 performances of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s fourth annual Holiday Spectacular, December 18-23 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. To accommodate demand for this popular, Broadway-style variety show, the BSO added a 10th performance to the original schedule, to take place on December 20 at 7:30 p.m. Holiday Spectacular creator and BSO Principal Pops conductor Jack Everly promises a performance as spectacular as families have come to expect, including new songs, sets and two perennial favorites—the “Santa Tap” and “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”—featuring dancers from the Baltimore School for the Arts.

Ann Hampton Callaway is best known for her Tony-nominated performance in the hit Broadway musical Swing! and for writing and singing the theme song to the popular TV series “The Nanny.” Callaway is a Platinum Award-winning writer whose songs are featured on five of Barbra Streisand's recent albums. She made her feature film debut opposite movies stars Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon in the Robert De Niro film The Good Shepherd, performing the standard "Come Rain or Come Shine." She also recorded "Isn't It Romantic?" and "The Nearness of You" in Wayne Wong's film Last Holiday, starring Queen Latifah.

Capitol Quartet, comprised of saxophonists who are on the faculty of America's leading music schools and alumni of the premiere U.S. Military bands, is prominently featured in this season’s revamped Holiday Spectacular. Since its formation in 1991, the Capitol Quartet has performed regularly at major concert venues throughout the United States, earning wide acclaim for the ensemble's musical versatility and innovative style. The Quartet's February 2007 performance of Philip Glass’ Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra with Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra was lauded in the Baltimore Sun for "..superb technical control... seamless blend and exceptional wealth of character in their phrasing."

While there are new songs on the program, returning favorites include the high-kicking Tap-Dancing Santas closing the first act with their rousing kick line. Song selections include holiday classics such as “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Deck the Halls,” “I Wonder as I Wander” and “O Holy Night.” This year, the two, 30-foot tall Nutcrackers will again grace a lavish holiday set designed by Gregory Hill.

BSO Principal Pops conductor Jack Everly, whose SuperPops concerts have earned him a loyal following in Baltimore, conceived of a musical holiday program 14 years ago for the Indianapolis Symphony before bringing a new version to Baltimore. In its four-year run, drawing audiences from across Maryland, the Mid-Atlantic States and beyond, the BSO’s Holiday Spectacular has become a new destination for holiday-themed performances and a beloved tradition for Baltimore area families. “With so much variety, humor, poignancy and music from the heart, this is the family holiday event each and every year,” Everly said.

COMPLETE CONCERT DETAILS
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Spectacular
All performances at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

Friday, December 18 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 19 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 20 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.*
Tuesday, December 22 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, December 23 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

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