It’s the sights and the sounds that we identify most with the holiday season. A familiar tune, lyrics to sing along with, whether sacred or secular, connect us to this time of year. It’s pure magic when members of orchestras and choirs perform their individual parts, creating layers of harmonies, blending together to create a mood, spark memories, and nurture our spirits for the holidays. Here is a list of orchestral and choir concerts to enjoy in the metro area.

A Classic Parker Holiday
The Schoolhouse, Dec. 7-8
The Parker Chorale and Parker Symphony Orchestra join together for an evening of traditional carols, familiar songs and some holiday surprises.

A Classic Parker Holiday. Photo by Andrew Minor

A Colorado Christmas
Boettcher Concert Hall, Dec. 13-15
The Colorado Symphony and Colorado Children’s Chorale, hosted by Denver vocalist Devin DeSantis, presents a family-friendly evening of traditional carols, favorite winter tunes and a sing along. There’ll also be visits from Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

A Holiday Evening with Leslie Odom, Jr.
Boettcher Concert Hall, Dec. 7
Hear the Tony® and GRAMMY® winner and Emmy® Award Nominee perform holiday favorites from selections from his 2020 release titled “The Christmas Album.”

Blue Violin Candlelight Christmas
Dairy Arts Center, Nov. 30
See the award-winning classical crossover artist, the Blue Violin, with an all-new show of songs of Christmas performed with the violin, as more than 500 candles set the stage.

The Colorado Choir

Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings
Trinity United Methodist Church, Dec. 12
Under the glow of candlelight, hear holiday favorites including “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Deck the Halls,” Good King Wenceslas,” “Joy to the World,” and others performed by a string orchestra.

Christmas with The Colorado Choir
Augustana Lutheran Church, Dec. 13-14
Hear an a cappella concert of traditional carols plus classic and contemporary pieces. The evening includes a soaring gospel song in six-part harmony.

Holiday Brass
Boettcher Concert Hall, Dec. 19
The Colorado Symphony Brass performs festive tunes from the Renaissance, Baroque, and even popular Hollywood Christmas music.

Home for Christmas
Denver Brass, Dec. 21-22
Capture the joy of being home where the heart is for the holidays, set to music. There may even be a visit from Santa.

Denver Brass

Joy Around the World
Cherry Creek Chorale, Dec. 13 and 14
The voices of the Cherry Creek Chorale and Denver Children’s Choir blend for carols from diverse cultures plus Rachmaninoff’s Rejoice, O Virgin.

Kantorei: Frostiana – A Choral Holiday
Parsons Theatre, Dec. 8
Hear Randall Thompson’s Frostiana, a seven-movement work set to the poetry of Robert frost; The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus, based on a poem by Ogden Nash; Ola Gjeilo’s Wintertide, and Sarah Quartel’s A Winter Day.

Lone Tree Symphony Orchestra Presents A Very Cherry Christmas
Lone Tree Arts Center, Dec. 7-8
The Cherry Creek Chorale joins the orchestra for holiday favorite tunes.

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
Buell Theatre, Dec. 10 & 11
For more than 35 years, the show created by Grammy Award winner Chip Davis has delivered big, bold, soaring holiday numbers to audiences. It’s an annual favorite for Denverites, with multi-media effects.

Sarah Brightman: A Christmas Symphony
Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre, Dec. 4
With a vocal range of over three octaves, international singing superstar, Sarah Brightman performs holiday and wintertime pieces with orchestra and choir accompaniment.

“The Nutcracker Suite” performed by CU Bouler Thompson Jazz Big Band
Dazzle, Dec. 9
Hear Tschaikovsky’s famous score as it was interpreted by musician Duke Ellington.

Too Hot to Handel
Boettcher Concert Hall, Dec. 21-22
The Colorado Symphony Orchestra is joined by members of the Colorado Symphony Chorus and guest soloists to reinvent Handel’s Messiah with an infusion of jazz, gospel and R&B sounds for this annual favorite.

Whether they are moving, witty, classical or modern, orchestras, choirs and musical performers will share their many gifts with audiences this holiday season. Fill your calendar with a variety to create new musical holiday traditions.

Many of these events are made possible by citizen support of the SCFD.