New Jersey Choral Society presents festive “Home for the Holidays”

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, fire up the hearth and serve up the hot chocolate with marshmallows as the New Jersey Choral Society presents “Home for the Holidays,” a festive holiday concert featuring cherished classics for the whole family to enjoy. The performances will be held on Saturday, December 9 at 7:30 pm and on Sunday, December 10 at 3:00 pm at Our Lady of the Valley Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne. A third performance will be held on Tuesday, December 12 at 7:30 pm at West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 South Monroe St., Ridgewood.

The captivating program will feature familiar holiday tunes such as Let It Snow, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, Home for the Holidays, The Christmas Song by Mel Torme, and a lively rendition of Jingle Bells by Mack Wilberg. The audience will also be invited to participate in a sing-along of Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Other charming favorites include Christmas Time is Here from A Charlie Brown Christmas, a medley of songs from Irving Berlin’s classic film White Christmas, three holiday songs from the film Home Alone with music by John Williams and Believe from the animated film The Polar Express.

Guest Conductor Edward Schmiedecke will lead the chorus and Linda Sweetman Waters will accompany them on the piano along with a Brass ensemble. Sweetman Waters and guest pianist Christopher Vehmas (a former NJCS member) will also perform a four-hand piano duet. Several NJCS members will be featured soloists.

This program has been made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by a grant from the Ridgewood Arts Foundation.

Come one hour prior to the concert for the Inside Line, an informative lecture about concert music, which is complimentary for all ticket holders. This lecture will be sign-language interpreted.

Tickets are $30 for general admission and $25 for students and seniors. There is an additional $5 discount for individuals with disabilities and up to three companions. To purchase tickets, visit the NJCS website at www.njcs.org. For more information, call NJCS at 201-273-9027.