Hays Symphony Takes Audience “Around the World” with Holiday Pops Concert

Take a sleigh ride around the globe with the Hays Symphony “Holiday Pops” Concert! The symphony is back to light up a Friday night with a set of holiday favorites from all corners of the world. The concert will be held on Friday, December 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the FHSU Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center.
 
Like with every symphony concert, this free event is open to the Hays community, its surrounding areas, and even to those stopping through on their travels.


“Holiday Pops Around the World will feature familiar and not-so-familiar holiday music from around the globe,” stated Brian Buckstead, conductor of the Hays Symphony, in his opening season letter. Audience members can expect to hear some of the favorite sounds of the season along with a few musical surprises.
 
In Around the World at Christmas Time, one will immediately recognize the various carols comprising the medley, such as “O Christmas Tree,” Greensleeves,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” Also included in the festive repertoire is Christmas in Lapland, German Carol Festival, Caribbean Sleigh Ride, A Chanukah Overture, and Wassail Dances, each of which contributes their own cultural flair to this sonic tapestry of international holiday hits.
 
After the concert, attendees are invited to enjoy desserts and mingle with the musicians at the post-concert reception in the lobby. The concert is sponsored by a generous donation from the Hays Area Bicyclists, and the evening’s dessert reception is sponsored by the Hays Convention & Visitors Bureau.
 
Thanks to the orchestra’s supporters, which are listed on the symphony’s website, the symphony can continue to offer its concerts free of charge. Along with the gift of music, the musicians send their best holiday wishes to the community.
 
Following the success of October’s Annual Halloween Concert, themed “¡Fiesta Mexicana!,” the musicians are eager to fill the auditorium with a winter soundscape befitting the chilly December air. Looking ahead to the spring, the symphony members will honor the winners of the FHSU Concerto/Aria Competition through their February concert, and they will close the 2024-25 season in May with “A Song of Love and Jealousy” featuring piano soloist Irena Ravitskaya.
 
Finally, free tickets to all concerts are available on the symphony’s website at hayssymphony.org. Concert-goers can stay up to date with events and activities by following the Hays Symphony’s Facebook and Instagram pages.