Wakefield-based Pops Orchestra to Present ‘Christmas at the Castle’ on Dec. 11
WAKEFIELD, Mass. (Nov. 18, 2021) – The Firebird Pops Orchestra today announced their 2021 holiday performance in partnership with Hammond Castle Museum entitled Christmas at the Castle. Chamber ensembles made up of musicians from the orchestra will perform classic and contemporary holiday works for brass quintet, string quartet, string orchestra and piano on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. at Hammond Castle Museum, 80 Hesperus Ave., Gloucester, Mass.
The program will feature such holiday favorites as “O Holy Night”, “O Come All Ye Faithful” and Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” arranged for string orchestra, as well as Morten Lauridsen’s “O Magnum Mysterium”, selections from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” and even some music with influences as far back as the era of Gregorian Chant. Concertgoers will experience all of this in the unforgettable setting of the Great Hall at Hammond Castle Museum on the beautiful coast of Gloucester.
“The Firebird Pops Orchestra is pleased for the exceptional opportunity to partner with the Hammond Castle Museum, especially during this wonderful time of year,” said Brendan Kenney, Firebird Pops Orchestra conductor. “I have long admired this building, and the opportunity to present this program in this space is a dream come true. I could not imagine a more exciting and magical setting for the return to orchestral holiday music!”
Since the orchestra was founded virtually in 2020, the concert will be the orchestra’s first in-person holiday event, and it comes at a time when audiences and musicians are eager to return to their musical holiday performances after the COVID-19 pandemic thwarted most holiday events last year.
“Our museum’s founder, John Hays Hammond Jr., was a passionate connoisseur of classical music,” said Linda Havey, Hammond Castle Museum’s executive director. “Many a concert took place in the Great Hall back in Hammond’s day. In fact, he designed the Great Hall specifically for public performances like ‘Christmas at the Castle’! It delights us greatly to host performers of the caliber like the Firebird Pops Orchestra in an evocative and acoustically optimal space that was meant for a concert just like this.”
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased on the orchestra’s website, firebirdpops.org. Accompanying donations to Firebird Pops Orchestra and the Hammond Museum Organ Restoration Fund may also be made when purchasing tickets.
About Firebird Pops Orchestra
The Firebird Pops Orchestra, a non-profit orchestra (tax-exempt status pending) based in Wakefield, Mass., was founded in July 2020 to provide a virtual performance platform for musicians during the pandemic, focusing on repertoire from Film, Television, Broadway, and well-known Classical pieces. The orchestra’s virtual performances included nearly 150 musicians and received local and national media attention from Nerdist, BroadwayWorld, WHDH Channel 7 News, and the nationally syndicated viral video TV show, RightThisMinute. For more information, visit firebirdpops.org.
About Hammond Castle Museum
Hammond Castle Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is not handicapped accessible. The museum is dedicated to preserving the building, grounds, and legacy of John Hays Hammond, Jr. It is open daily through the end of October and on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in November and December. The Museum offers numerous educational and cultural events throughout the season and is available for private and corporate rentals. It is located at 80 Hesperus Avenue, Gloucester, Massachusetts. For more information visit hammondcastle.org or contact us at [email protected] or 978-283-2080.