Merry Music: 20+ Concerts, Shows, and Performances to Celebrate the Holidays

Experience The Nutcracker, a Celtic Christmas, the Science of Santa, and more

By Ross Boissoneau | Nov. 23, 2024

Ready or not, here come the holidays! And with the yuletide season come special shows and performances, both classic (hello there, Mouse King!) and newer (candlelight concerts anyone?). From churches to theaters and beyond, the magic of December brings people together.

“When I search for holiday programming I’m looking for something a little different,” says Chad Lindsay, executive director of the City Opera House (COH). “Not everyone enjoys the same thing.”

City Opera House

A bevy of performances at the century-old theater in Traverse City will enliven the holidays, starting with the “Gilded Christmas Gala” Dec. 7, billed as “a celebration of glittering talent and shared tradition, with a wink!” The gala features Broadway veterans Hayley Podschun (Wicked, Hello, Dolly) and Steel Burkhardt (Hair, Aladdin) performing holiday songs from the Great White Way to Hollywood and beyond.

Next up are the Good Lovelies on Dec. 8, with vocalists Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough, and Susan Passmore offering a nostalgic sound that blurs the lines between folk, roots, old-time swing, soul and bluegrass. More holiday-esque is the Listeso String Quartet performing holiday favorites. To enhance the holiday mood, the Dec. 12 show will be a candlelight concert.

Lindsay says his favorite show in the lineup may be “All Is Calm.” The remarkable true story of a holiday ceasefire on the Western Front during World War I is brought to life Dec. 14 through an a cappella chorale. “It’s all sung through,” says Lindsay. “On Christmas, both sides put down their arms. It’s a touching story.”

Kirkbride Hall

There’s more of the soft, flickering glow in store for concertgoers. “Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings” welcomes the Listeso String Quartet to Kirkbride Hall for six shows, two each night. The first is Dec. 19, featuring numerous holiday favorites and concluding with musical selections from The Nutcracker. On Dec. 20 and 21, the quartet will play additional selections from the Christmas canon.

Great Lakes Center for the Arts

Artistic Director Matthew Kacergis at Great Lakes Center for the Arts (GLCFA) at Bay Harbor makes no bones about it: “I love the holidays at the Center,” he says.

And why not? Allen Fitzpatrick, veteran of a half-century in theater on Broadway and beyond, takes on the roles of 26 characters in a one-man performance of A Christmas Carol on Dec. 7. Kacergis says a special part of the show is that it is being recorded for a future radio broadcast.

The holiday fun is just getting started. The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra will perform “Messiah By Candlelight” on Dec. 12 and 13 at 7pm. On Dec. 21 and 22, GLCFA will host the Crooked Tree Arts Center School of Ballet in The Nutcracker. Kacergis says one of the most enjoyable aspects for him is seeing the young performers take on different parts as they get older. “I love watching the kids grow through the different roles,” he says.

One of the things Kacergis emphasizes is the role GLCFA plays alongside other venues and organizations. “We have so many exciting community collaborations,” he says. Indeed, two of the Center’s signature events are shared with others. Fitzpatrick will command the stage Dec. 3 as Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and all the rest at the Beaver Island Community Center Dec. 3, then again following his show at GLCFA at the Opera House in Cheboygan at 4pm Dec. 8. The Opera House will also host an encore presentation of The Nutcracker Dec. 14 at 7.

But there’s still one more performance to catch at GLCFA. For those who wonder how reindeer can fly and how Santa can wriggle down all those chimneys, Doktor Kaboom returns with his holiday extravaganza. “The Science of Santa” explores the science behind the man in red. (No elves are harmed in the course of the show.) It takes place Dec. 15 at 2pm.

Interlochen Center for the Arts

Of course, GLCFA is not the only Nutcracker host in town. Interlochen Center for the Arts presents its annual version of Tchaikovsky’s immortal ballet with the Interlochen Arts Academy Dance Division and Orchestra Dec. 12-15. The production involves nearly 50 students between the dancers and orchestra.

The other longstanding holiday tradition at Interlochen takes place Dec. 20. “Sounds of the Season” is a mix of performance pieces by Interlochen Arts Academy’s music, theatre, and interdisciplinary arts students. Brent Wrobel, the director of Interlochen Presents, says it involves approximately 150 students. “It’s the same format [yearly], but we change the repertoire, have different themes. We want it to be fresh,” he says.

One year they might feature material from Disney’s Frozen, while the next might see an appearance from the Grinch. One thing doesn’t change: “We have Santa every year,” Wrobel says.

The Haunting of Old Ebenezer

Looking for a newer tradition? Songwriter, conceptualist and musician Steve Clark has just the thing: An acoustic concert blended with a retelling of Dickens’ classic tale of redemption. Through 16 original songs, Clark and his cohorts take the listener through the haunting of Ebenezer Scrooge and his eventual transformation. The folksy music and harmonies offer a different way to experience A Christmas Carol. Clark describes it as “part concert, part musical theater, and all holiday cheer!”

Showtimes:
Dec. 6: 7pm at Willowbrook Mill in Northport
Dec. 7: 2pm at Ramsdell Theatre in Manistee
Dec. 8: 4pm at St. Ambrose in Beulah
Dec. 19: 7:30pm at The Barrel Room in Traverse City
Dec. 21: 6pm at Oliver Arts Center in Frankfort

Northwestern Michigan College

NMC will host a number of different holiday-themed performances in the next four weeks. First up is the NMC Children’s Choirs Nov. 24 at 3pm at Lars Hockstad Auditorium. On Dec. 7, the NMC Jazz Bands will present its first holiday-themed winter concert. The college’s two big bands will perform a variety of music at Milliken Auditorium at 7:30pm.

On Dec. 13, the NMC Concert Band will showcase its holiday favorites at Traverse City West Senior High at 7:30pm. The NMC Grand Traverse Chorale and NMC Chamber Singers will share the stage at Corson Auditorium with the Traverse City Philharmonic for its annual “Home For the Holidays” show—proof you can go home again, at least on Dec. 21 and 22.

Between those two is “Irish Christmas in America.” The 6pm performance on Dec. 8 at Milliken Auditorium features Irish music, song, and dance. A family-friendly show, it boasts both vocals and instrumentals bringing to life a Celtic holiday, while evocative photographs provide a backdrop to some of the rich historical traditions of Ireland.

Messiah Sing

A Traverse City tradition for nearly half a century, the 46th Central United Methodist Church Messiah Sing will take place Dec. 8. For many people, the 4pm show at the downtown Traverse City church signals the beginning of the Christmas season. This year’s Messiah Sing will feature soloists Laura Osgood Brown (soprano), John Bragle (tenor), and Keith Brown (baritone). Also performing will be the NMC Grand Traverse Chorale, accompanied by organ and chamber orchestra.

Want to sing along? Rehearsal starts promptly at 2:45pm (vocal scores may be checked out; those who wish to borrow one should arrive early to pick up their score). For further information and the complete Christmas calendar of events for Central UMC, visit tccentralumc.org/christmas.

More to See

Adults can’t have all the fun. The Alluvion hosts a special yule version of Mindful + Musical with Miriam Pico. At “Holiday Joy” on Dec. 7 at 10:30am, you can expect songs, stories, and themes emphasizing kindness, love, and peace, all with a holiday bent.

Still looking for more? While not holiday music per se, Blissfest celebrates the season with its “Winter Solstice Gathering” featuring Armchair Boogie and Dig a Pony: A Beatles Tribute on Dec. 21. Doors open at 6:30pm, and the show begins at 7:30pm.

Photo courtesy of Interlochen Center for the Arts.