A Family Christmas
A FREE Virtual Experience for the Whole Family
Saturday, December 19, 2020 | 4:00 pm ET
Virtual Concert Hall
Musical performances recorded in December 2018 and 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center.
Scott Tucker, conductor
Brandon Straub, conductor
Symphonic Chorus
Brass Ensemble
#ChoralArtsDC
Program
Ring Those Christmas Bells
MARVIN FISHER and GUS LEVENE
Arr. Ryan Murphy
Sing along with Ring Those Christmas Bells!
Text
Some folks like to hear a Christmas song
But I like Christmas bells that go ding dong
Jingle-jangle, ding-a-ling or just bing-bong
I love to hear ’em ring
Oh, ring those Christmas bells
Ring those Christmas bells
While they chime, we’ll have a happy time
So ring those Christmas bells
Up above the stars are clear and bright
While all around the snow is soft and white
Santa and his reindeer soon will be in sight
And you will hear him sing
Oh, ring those Christmas bells
Ring those Christmas bells
While they chime, we’ll have a happy time
So ring those Christmas bells
Ding dong, ding dong
Oh, the music of an open sleigh
When every jolly jingle seems to say
Happy, happy, happy, happy holiday
Come on and join the fun
Oh, ring those Christmas bells
Ring those Christmas bells
While they chime, we’ll have a happy time
So ring those Christmas bells
Ring those Christmas bells
Ring those Christmas bells
While they chime, we’ll have a happy time
So ring those Christmas bells
Ring those Christmas bells
Ding dong, ding dong
Ding dong, ding dong
Ding dong, ding dong
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Caroling, Caroling Through the Snow
WIHLA HUTSON and ALFRED BURT
Sing along with Caroling, Caroling Through the Snow!
Text
Caroling, caroling, now we go,
Christmas bells are ringing.
Caroling, caroling, through the snow,
Christmas bells are ringing.
Joyous voices sweet and clear,
sing the sad of heart to cheer.
Ding, dong, ding, dong!
Christmas bells are ringing.
Caroling, caroling, through the town;
Christmas bells are ringing.
Caroling, caroling, up and down,
Christmas bells are ringing.
Mark ye well the song we sing.
Gladsome tidings now we bring.
Ding, dong, ding, dong!
Christmas bells are ringing.
Caroling, caroling, near and far;
Christmas bells are ringing.
Following, following yonder star,
Christmas bells are ringing.
Sing we all this happy morn:
“Lo, the King of Heav’n is born!”
Ding, dong, ding, dong!
Christmas bells are ringing.
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Carol of the Bells
MYKOLA LEONTOVYCH
Sing along with Carol of the Bells!
Text
Hark! how the bells
Sweet silver bells
All seem to say,
“Throw cares away.”
Christmas is here
Bringing good cheer
To young and old
Meek and the bold
Ding, dong, ding, dong
That is their song
With joyful ring
All caroling
One seems to hear
Words of good cheer
From ev’rywhere
Filling the air
Oh how they pound,
Raising the sound,
O’er hill and dale,
Telling their tale,
Gaily they ring
While people sing
Songs of good cheer
Christmas is here
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
On, on they send
On without end
Their joyful tone
To ev’ry home
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Winter Wonderland
FELIX BERNARD and RICHARD B. SMITH
Arr. Mark Hayes
Sing along with Winter Wonderland!
Text
Sleigh bells ring
are you listening
in the lane
snow is glistening
A beautiful sight
we’re happy tonight
walking in a winter wonderland
Gone away is the bluebird
here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song
as we go along
walking in a winter wonderland
In the meadow we can build a snowman
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He’ll say: Are you married?
we’ll say: No man
But you can do the job
when you’re in town
Later on
we’ll conspire
as we dream by the fire
To face unafraid
the plans that we’ve made
walking in a winter wonderland
In the meadow we can build a snowman
and pretend that he’s a circus clown
We’ll have lots of fun with mister snowman
until the the other kids knock him down
When it snows
ain’t it thrilling
Though your nose gets a chilling
We’ll frolic and play
the Eskimo way
walking in a winter wonderland
Walking in a winter wonderland
walking in a winter wonderland
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
White Christmas
IRVING BERLIN
Arr. Roy Ringwald
Sing along with White Christmas!
Text
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow, oh, the snow
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmas’ be white
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days, may your days, may your days
Be merry and bright
And may all your Christmas’ be white
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmas’ be white
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Let it Snow
JULE STYNE and SAMMY CHAN
Arr. Mark Hayes
Sing along with Let it Snow!
Text
Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we’ve no place to go
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
It doesn’t show signs of stopping
And I’ve bought some corn for popping
The lights are turned way down low
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
When we finally kiss good night
How I’ll hate going out in the storm!
But if you’ll really hold me tight
All the way home I’ll be warm
The fire is slowly dying
And, my dear, we’re still goodbying
But as long as you love me so
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Sleigh Ride
MITCHELL PARISH and LEROY ANDERSON
Arr. Mark Brymer
Sing along with Sleigh Ride!
Text
Just hear those sleigh bells jing-a-ling
Ring ting ting-a-ting too
C’mon it’s lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Outside the snow is falling
And friends are calling you hoo
C’mon it’s lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Giddy-up giddy-up giddy-up let’s go
Let’s look at the show
We’re riding in a wonderland of snow
Giddy-up giddy-up giddy-up it’s grand
Just holding your hand
We’re riding along with a song
Of a wintery fairyland
Our cheeks are nice and rosy
And comfy cozy are we
We snuggle close together
Like two birds of a feather would be
Let’s take that road before us
And sing a chorus or two
C’mon it’s lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
There’s a birthday party
At the home of Farmer Grey
It’ll be the perfect ending
Of a perfect day
We’ll be singing the songs we love to sing
Without a single stop
At the fireplace where
We’ll watch the chestnuts pop
Pop pop pop
There’s a happy feeling
Nothing in this world can buy
When they pass around
The coffee and the pumpkin pie
It’ll nearly be like
A picture print by Currier & lives
These wonderful things
Are the things
We remember all through our lives
These wonderful things
Are the things
We remember all through our lives
Sleigh bells jing-a-ling
Ring ting ting-a-ting too
C’mon it’s lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Outside the snow is falling
And friends are calling you hoo
C’mon it’s lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Giddy-up giddy-up giddy-up let’s go
Let’s look at the show
We’re riding in a wonderland of snow
Giddy-up giddy-up giddy-up it’s grand
Just holding your hand
We’re riding along with a song
Of a wintery fairyland
Nice and rosy
And comfy cozy are we
We snuggle close together
Like two birds of a feather would be
Let’s take that road before us
And sing a chorus or two
C’mon it’s lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
It’s lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Jingle, Bells*
JAMES PIERPONT
Arr. David Willcocks
Sing along with Jingle, Bells!
Text
Verse 1
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh,
O’er the fields we go,
Laughing all the way;
Bells on bobtail ring,
Making spirits bright;
What fun it is to ride, and sing
A sleighing song tonight. Hey!
Refrain:
Jingle, bells, Jingle, bells
Jingle all the way;
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!
Repeat
Verse 2:
Now the ground is white;
Go it while you’re young,
Take the girls tonight,
And sing this sleighing song.
Just get a bob-tailed nag,
Two-forty for his speed;
Then hitch him to an open-sleigh
And crack! you’ll take the lead.
Refrain
Repeat Verse 1 and Refrain
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Jingle Bell Rock
JOE BEAL and JIM BOOTHE
Arr. Teena Chinn
Sing along with Jingle Bell Rock!
Text
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
Snowin’ and blowin’ up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancin’ and prancin’ in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air
What a bright time, it’s the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin’ in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin’ feet
That’s the jingle bell rock
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancin’ and prancin’ in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air
What a bright time, it’s the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin’ in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin’ feet
That’s the jingle bell
That’s the jingle bell
That’s the jingle bell rock
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Rudolph Pokey*
TRADITIONAL
Arr. The Band
Sing slong with the Rudolph Pokey!
Text
You put your hooves in
You put your hooves out
You put your hooves in
and you shake ’em all about
‘You do the reindeer pokey
And you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about.’
You put your antlers in
You put your antlers out
You put your antlers in
And you shake it all about
You do the reindeer pokey
And you turn yourself around
That”s what it’s all about.
You put your tail in
You put your tail out
You put your tail in
And you shake it all about
You do the reindeer pokey
And you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about.
You put your red nose in
You put your red nose out
You put your red nose in
And you shake it all about
You do the reindeer pokey
And you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about.
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
S-A-N-T-A*
TRADITIONAL
Arr. The Band
Sing along with S-A-N-T-A!
Text
There was a man with a beard and a sleigh
Santa was his name, HEY!
S-A-N-T-A
S-A-N-T-A
S-A-N-T-A
And Santa was his name, HEY!
There was a man with a beard and a sleigh
Santa was his name, HEY!
(clap)-A-N-T-A
(clap)-A-N-T-A
(clap)-A-N-T-A
And Santa was his name, HEY!
There was a man with a beard and a sleigh
Santa was his name, HEY!
(clap)-(clap)-N-T-A
(clap)-(clap)-N-T-A
(clap)-(clap)-N-T-A
And Santa was his name, HEY!
There was a man with a beard and a sleigh
Santa was his name, HEY!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-T-A
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-T-A
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-T-A
And Santa was his name, HEY!
There was a man with a beard and a sleigh
Santa was his name, HEY!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-A
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-A
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-A
And Santa was his name, HEY!
There was a man with a beard and a sleigh
Santa was his name, HEY!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
And Santa was his name, HEY!
There was a man with a beard and a sleigh
Santa was his name, HEY!
S-A-N-T-A
S-A-N-T-A
S-A-N-T-A
And Santa was his name, HEY!
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
The Twelve Days of Christmas*
TRADITIONAL ENGLISH
Arr. John Rutter
Sing along with The Twelve Days of Christmas!
Text
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves and…
On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Three French hens…
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Four calling birds…
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Five gold rings…
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying…
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming…
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking…
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing…
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping…
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping…
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming…
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Joy to the World*
GEORGE F. HANDEL
Arr. Lowell Mason
Sing along with Joy to the World!
Text
Verse 1:
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing. (3x)
Verse 2:
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns;
Let us our songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy. (3x)
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2018 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Seasonal Sounds*
Arr. Randol Alan Bass
Sing along with Seasonal Sounds!
Text
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie
Oh, you better watch out, you better not cry,
Better not pout, I’m tellin’ you why:
Santa Claus is comin’ to town.
He’s makin’ a list and checkin’ it twice;
Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice.
Santa Claus is comin’ to town.
He sees you when you’re sleepin’,he knows when you’re awake,
He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!
Oh, you better watch out, you better not cry,
Better not pout, I’m tellin’ you why:
Santa Claus is comin’ to town.
Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer
Johnny Marks
Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows.
All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names;
They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.
Then, one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say:
“Rudolph, with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
Then, how the reindeer loved him as they shouted out with glee:
“Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer, you’ll go down in history!”
Frosty, the Snowman
Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins
Frosty, the Snowman was a jolly happy soul,
With a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal.
Frosty, the Snowman is a fairy tale, they say;
He was made of snow, but the children know how he came to life, one day.
There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found,
For when they placed it on his head, he began to dance around!
Oh, Frosty, the Snowman was alive as he could be
And the children say he could laugh and play just the same as you and me.
Production Credits:
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Meet the Artists
Symphonic Chorus
Scott Tucker, conductor
Brandon Straub, Associate Conductor and Pianist
Sopranos
Lynda Adamson
Julie Ciamporcero Avetta
Ashley B. Boam
Susan Gillerman Boggs
Jan Childress
Alison Cooper
Shannon Corey
Dana Crepeau
Agnes H. Donahue
Kathryn Fernandez
Julie Gilmore
Amity Hall
Kristen Anne Heyniger
Marie A. Hyder
Brooke Lamell
Jennifer Leach
Heather MacDonald
Rebecca C. Mullen
Jenny Nordstrom
Alexandra Normile
Julia Preseau
Diane Shapiro Richer
Sally Robinson
Elizabeth Romig
Bethann Siegel
Karen Smitsky
Lisa Joy Sommers*
Carolyn Mankell Sowinski
Kathleen Spitzel
Ann Stahmer
Margaret Stromecki
Amanda Thorne**
Deb Unger
Alison Valtin
Cathryn I. Wanders
Nadine P. Wethington
Bonnie J. Williams
Julie Wommack
Charlene Yao
Altos
Petia Antova
Barbara Barry
Pat Byram
Michelle Cho
Jan McLin Clayberg
Karen Perkins Coda
Karen Doyne
Karen Florini
Barbara Gardner
Ariel Gold
Kate Goodrich
Elke H. Gordon
Karen Hopper
Cindy Jensen
Anne B. Keiser
Eunice Koid
Joyce Korvick
Priscilla Colón Marsh
My-Van Nguyen*
Rebecca Nielsen
Virginia L. Pancoe
Sarah Penniston-Dorland
Ellen Platts
Joan Reinthaler
Cindy Speas
Joyce Stephansky
Alex Swartsel†
Lizabeth Tankersley
Michelle M. Tiller
Emily Townsend
Nancy Witherell
Virginia Yates
Emily Zoss**
Tenors
Jonathan Blocksom
John Clewett*
Jeff Dauler
David Flaxman
Daniel Forbes
Joseph S. Gordon
Jerry C. Haggin
Edward Hoover
James B. Hutchinson, Jr.
Karl Jensen
Tony Lee
Byron V. Peters**
Bryan T. Piper
Robert Porter
Jonathan Rajaseelan
Alexander Riley
David G. Robinson
Harlan Rosacker
John Lewis Sullivan
Rob Vogel
Basses
Charles Cerf
Michael Cook
Ron Davies
Samuel Dooley
Brian Eriksen
Neil R. Ericsson
David Freeman**
Gregg Grisa
Eric Holmes
George Krumbhaar
Douglas Lapp
Todd Leeuwenburgh
Michael J. Lincoln††
Clark Maylone
Douglas McAllister*
Daniel Perkes
Nathan Perriello
David Pratt
Lawrence Robertson
Sam Strike
Arthur R. Tiller
Robert Vonderhaar
Jim Weinstein
Christopher Wilde
Ray Williams
† President
†† Vice-President
* Section Leader
** Section Manager
Brass Ensemble
TRUMPET
Terry Bingham
John Abbracciamento
HORN
Rick Lee
TROMBONE
Gus Mitchell
TUBA
Jon Voth
PIANO/ORGAN
Brandon Straub
GUITAR
Michael Bard
BASS
Eric Seay
PERCUSSION
Thomas Dell’Omo
Recorded at A Family Christmas in December 2019 at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center by Arts Laureate.
Post production by Levitate Media
Officers
Lexy B. Kessler, Chair
Craig Miller, Vice Chair
Barbara Rossotti, Secretary
Anne B. Keiser, Treasurer
Nadine Wethington, Immediate Past Chair
Laura S. Pruitt, Of Counsel / Advisor to Committees
Directors
Julie Ciamporcero Avetta
Suzanne S. Brock
Charles Cerf
Tad Czyzewski, Executive Director *
David Flaxman
Karen Florini
Matthew Garber
Sue Goodhart
Elke Gordon
Edward Hoover
Craig Miller
Emily Riffle
Diane Schaefer
Nicholas Smith
Liz Tankersley
Scott Tucker, Artistic Director*
Alex Swartsel, Chorus President*
Ashley Wilson
Honorary Trustees
John Adams
Dr. Ysaye Maria Barnwell
Mrs. W. Tapley Bennett, Jr.
James Conlon
John Corigliano
Christoph Eschenbach
Denyce Graves
Marta Casals Istomin
Bobby McFerrin
Leontyne Price
Samuel Ramey
Helmuth Rilling
Leonard Slatkin
John Williams
Staff
Scott Tucker, Artistic Director
Tad Czyzewski, Executive Director
April Angilletta, Associate Director of Communications
Joe Aubry, Artistic and Production Associate
Caryn Fraim, Deputy Director
Caitlin Gompf, External Communications Coordinator
Whitney McColley, Artistic Manager
Brandon Straub, Associate Conductor and Pianist
Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center
The Jensen Family
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2004 The Choral Arts Society of Washington
