If the holidays leave you feeling like Charlie Brown, bemoaning all the commercial trappings, take a soulful break with some beautiful live music. There's plenty to choose from from all around Louisville. Check your calendar and make some plans to get into the holiday spirit.
Choral Music
Music Director Daniel Spurlock
Call 502-968-6300 for more information about any of these events.
Christmas Wonderland
When: Dec. 6 at 6 PM
Program: Guest Children's Choirs, including Holy Family Children's Choir, Paul Stiller, Director; St Mark's UCC Cherub & Youth Choirs, Sandy Carter, Director.
Where: St. Mary's Catholic Church, 415 East 8th Street, New Albany, IN
Tickets [5]: General Admission $20, Senior $15, Student $5
Christmas at Immaculate Conception
When: Dec. 7 at 4 PM
Program: Songs with Julianna Horton, Organ
Where: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 502 North 5th Street, LaGrange, KY
Tickets [6]: General Admission $20, Senior $15, Student $5
Christmas at St. Brigid
When: Dec. 14 at 4 PM
Program: Carols of the Nativity with Julianna Horton, Organ
Where: St Brigid Catholic Church, 1520 Hepburn Ave (@ Baxter), Louisville
Tickets [7]: General Admission $20, Senior $15, Student $5
Artistic Director Kent Hatteberg
Call 502-690-5197 for more information about these events
Holiday Choral Festival
When: Dec. 7 from 7-9 PM
Program: Protus, Voces Novae, and the Youth Performance Arts School Women's Choir
Where: Saint Martin of Tours, 619 S 4th St, Louisville
Tickets [9]: $10-$15
Christmas Concert at St. Paul
When: Dec. 19 and Dec. 20 at 7:30 PM
Program: The concerts feature a mixture of familiar carols, new music, and and opportunity to sing along. Highlights include a new Magnificat setting by Latvian composer Erik Esenvalds, Stephen Paulus' arrangement of Silent Night, as well as arrangements of other holiday favorites by John Rutter, David Willcocks, and André Thomas.
Where: Saint Paul UMC, 2000 Douglass Blvd, Louisville
Tickets [10]: $20 - Adults/$15 - Seniors/$10 - Students
Orchestral
Louisville Orchestra [11]
Holiday Spectacular
When: Nov. 28 at 7:30 PM
Program: Bob Bernhardt conducts the Louisville Orchestra; Tim King sings yuletide favorites and rings in the holiday with a visit from Santa.
Where: Brown Theatre, 315 W Broadway, Louisville
Tickets [12]: $15 & $30
Home for the Holidays [13], Orkidstra Series
When: Nov. 29 at 11 AM
Program: Just for the kids, a one-hour matinee of holiday favorites with pre-concert activities in the lobby at 10 AM.
Where: Brown Theatre, 315 W Broadway, Louisville
Tickets [14]: General Admission, All seats $15.
Schubert & Mendelssohn, Music Without Borders Series (not really holiday music, but close enough)
When: Nov. 21 at 7:30 PM at St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church, Prospect and on Nov. 23 at 3:00 PM at Congregation Adath Jeshurun, Highlands/Douglass Neighborhood, Louisville
Program: The Louisville Orchestra comes out to play in a Neighborhood Concert Series conducted by Music Director Teddy Abrams.
Tickets [15]: $20
When: Dec. 5 at 7:30 PM and Dec. 6 at 1:30 PM
Program: Holiday favorites including The Night Before Christmas, "O Holy Night," and "Sleigh Ride," plus music from the movie Frozen and the Misty Mountain String Band will again join the LPMO for some enjoyable holiday selections.
Where: Harvey Browne Presbyterian Church, 311 Browns Ln, Louisville
Tickets: Free
Louisville Youth Orchestra [17]
When: Dec. 14 at 4 PM
Program: "Ring-a-Ling, Jing-a-Ling" - Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jason Seber
Where: YPAS - Youth Performing Arts School Auditorium, 1517 South Second Street, Louisville
Tickets: $15 at the door
Dance and Musical Theater
Louisville Ballet [18]
Brown-Forman Nutcracker
When: Dec. 6 - 21 with 1:30 and 7:30 PM performances (check event calendar)
Program: Classic ballet by composer Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Where: Whitney Hall, Kentucky Center
Tickets [19]: start at $32.00
The Most Famous Reindeer of All
When: Nov. 22 - Dec. 22 with performances at Breakfast 9 AM and Lunch 12 PM
Program: Enjoy this musical treasure about a young misfit reindeer who just wants to fit in. Santa will be at every performance!
Where: 525 Marriott Drive, Clarksville, IN
Tickets [21]: $16 - $21 (Call 812.288.8281)
Nutcracker in a Nutshell
When: Dec. 6 at 2 PM and 7 PM
Program: MAGIC Company Dance (youth, pre-professional dance company). For audiences of all ages, Nutcracker in a Nutshell is a shorter, family-friendly version of the Nutcracker story.
Where: Louisville Place Theater, 625 S. 4th St., Louisville
Tickets: $20.00 and $17.50, available at either Nutcracker in a Nutshell website [22] or the Louisville Palace [23]
University of Louisville Dance Academy [24]
Clara's Dream
When: Dec. 5 (7 PM) Dec. 6 (3 and 7 PM), and Dec. 7 (2 PM)
Program: University Dance Theatre presents Clara's Dream, an excerpt of the “Nutcracker” ballet which takes place during Clara’s dream of snow and the Land of Sweets. “Nutcracker” favorites including cotton candy angels, toy soldiers and the Sugar Plum Fairy will appear along with variations from the foreign lands including the Russian Dance and the Spanish Dance.
Where: School of Music, Comstock Concert Hall, 2301 S. Third St., Louisville (Directions [25])
Tickets: $15 for adults and $10 for children under age 10 or adults over age 65. Group rates also are available. Call 502-852-6878 for ticket information.