One of the most beloved aspects of the holiday season every year is the music. People have been singing Christmas Carols for centuries. The festive songs often bring back happy memories of community and pleasant days spent amongst family. After all, that is what the holiday season is about for so many of us: family togetherness. This season, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra provides the community with the opportunity to enjoy traditional Christmas music in its best expression: performed live. On Dec. 10, the guest director Aram Demirjian leads the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra in the concert Waltzing in a Winter Wonderland.

This concert is part of the guest conductor series. The Fayetteville symphony Orchestra is searching for a new conductor. The boards of directors chose five finalists from all the applicants, and these five have been invited to engage the community through a concert. These concerts include pre-concert talks that begin at 6:45 p.m. with the FSO “Music Nerd.” These talks give in-depth and personal insight into the new conductor as well as the music itself. This month the guest conductor, Aram Demirjian, is the music director of the Knoxville Symphony.

After each concert audience members are invited to fill out a survey on what they thought of the performance. This input will be used to make the final decision about who will be the new leader of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. To make the most informed decision, community members are encouraged to attend as many concerts and preconcert talks as possible. Attending all five concerts gives audience members the opportunity to really compare the different conductors. The being said, it is not necessary to give a valuable opinion on the performance.  

Waltzing in a Winter Wonderland featurea traditional holiday music that is perfect for the entire family. While traditional Christmas carols are wonderful coming through the radio, there is really no substitute for live performances. Live music and other cultural events are especially important for children, as these experiences can shape their relationship with the arts for life.

The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1956. It is a nonprofit organization that focuses on artistic excellence. It is truly a community organization. It began as a group of instrumentalists who shared a passion for music. They played together in local homes at first, but soon turned their passion into a professional regional orchestra. Even now, their focus remains with the community. They focus on using their instruments and tremendous talent to educate and inspire community members. They also work with a number of community partners like Methodist University, Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Fayetteville State University and local school programs. 

Waltzing in a Winter Wonderland takes place at 7:30 p.m. in the Huff Concert Hall at Methodist University. It is located at 5400 Ramsey St. Cape Fear Eye Associates, P.A. is a presenting sponsor for this concert. Tickets are $25.23. Tickets and more information can be found at : http://www.fayettevillesymphony.org/2016-2017-concerts..