On Thursday, December 24, 2020 the 61st annual L.A. County Holiday celebration will stream online, with an encore performance on Friday, December 25, 2020. Everyone who has enjoyed this event in the past, will of course miss seeing all the talented artists in-person, but The Music Center was not deterred and rose to the challenge by offering Uplifting Performances that feature interviews and debut performances, as well as the exciting three-hour Music and Dance Spectacular which has become a Los Angeles tradition. One silver lining is that by going virtual the L.A. County Holiday Celebration will reach an even wider audience.
As stated in The Music Center press release: “A production of The Music Center and PBS SoCal in association with CDK Productions, the Emmy Award-winning holiday show features choirs, music ensembles and dance companies representing the many cultures of Los Angeles. Highlighting the county’s rich creative diversity, the broadcast will also include five mini documentaries featuring artists from different neighborhoods as well as performances on location at key landmarks, including Korean Bell of Friendship in San Pedro and Angel’s Point in Elysian Park. Given COVID restrictions as outlined by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and the commitment to keeping artists and the public safe from community transmission, the performance is presented without a live audience this year.”
Jung Im Lee Korean Dance Academy – L.A. County Annual Holiday Celebration – Photo courtesy of The Music Center
Filmed on location at both The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Jerry Moss Plaza and at sites around Los Angeles County, the three-hour showcase of 22 L.A.-based artists will air on PBS SoCal starting at 3:00 p.m. PST on Christmas Eve (December 24, 2020) and simultaneously stream on pbssocal.org/holidaycelebration, kcet.org and Holidaycelebration.org. PBS SoCal will air an encore presentation that evening at 7:00 p.m. PST; KCET will rebroadcast the show on Christmas Day at noon PST.
The L.A. County Holiday Celebration has long helped to bring thousands of people hours of uplifting and cheerful entertainment by local artist from a wide diversity of backgrounds and cultures. Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center said that with what we all have been through for the past eight or nine months, that she is excited to partner with PBS SoCal and CDK Productions in order to continue this time-honored tradition which began in 1959.
“Working with the same Emmy Award-winning team led by the program’s 25-year producer and director Kenneth Shapiro, we have created a vibrant new format for 2020 that also features artist interviews and county landscapes. This broadcast and streaming event truly is a ‘celebration’ of Los Angeles—of resiliency and of community—that we all can take pride in from the comforts of our homes.” Moore said.
Pacifico Dance Company – 59th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration – Photo courtesy of The Music Center
61st Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration will be hosted by acclaimed American mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzmán and actor/producer Brian White and will feature the return of favorite artists from previous years, as well as artists making their debut.
When/Where:
Premiering on Thursday, December 24, 2020, from 3:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.PST on PBS SoCal
Live streaming on pbssocal.org, kcet.org and holidaycelebration.org
Encore broadcasts on PBS SoCal on Thursday, December 24, 2020, from 7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.; on KCET on Friday, December 25, 2020, from noon–3:00 p.m. PST.
ARTISTS PERFORMING IN THE 61st ANNUAL L.A. COUNTY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION:
American Youth Symphony* nurtures the concert artists of tomorrow as six young virtuosos perform “Candlelight,” a piece composed and conducted by Music Director Carlos Izcaray.
Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles with Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar* showcase Mexican-American culture with precise movements, colorful costumes and traditional instruments as they celebrate Nochebuena: Christmas Eve in Mexico, performing “White Christmas,” “Las Olas” and “El Gusto.”
Cuñao, an alternative Latin folk band, will perform a villancico, a Latin American and Spanish Christmas carol called “Los Peces en el Rio” and debut their new original single “Noche Buena,” an homage to how families celebrate Christmas Eve.
Daniel Ho Trio Hālau Keali’i o Nālani, featuring Tia Carrere and Friends, will perform “Colors in Harmony,” a piece written and arranged to illuminate the diverse cultures of Los Angeles and unity through the arts. With bandleader Daniel Ho and actress/singer Tia Carrere singing in English, Hālau Keali’i o Nālani will sing and chant in Hawaiian supported by the music of the Trio, Zendeko Taiko and other musical guests.
Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles returns with its 26th consecutive Holiday Celebration appearance. Celebrating the joy and diversity in Los Angeles, the group performs the Hebrew tradition/Hanukkah favorite, “Ma’oz Tsur,” along with a pop medley of Christmas favorites and a traditional carol.
Infinite Flow – An Inclusive Dance Company will perform “Dear Santa,” a letter by nine-year old twins Scarlett and Henry, featuring holiday-themed choreography and original music composed by Jay Manuel and Joey Noble, two Black disabled artists. Including Scarlett in her wheelchair, the six-minute routine mixes dance and acting as the performance balances the sadness of the pandemic and social inequities with the twins’ Christmas wish list, recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusion.
Jessica Fichot* and her band create an intoxicating multilingual fusion of French chanson, Shanghai jazz and gypsy swing with performances of the Chinese New Year classic, “Gong Xi Gong Xi” and the bandleader’s original song, “Gong Xi à Paris.”
Jung Im Lee Korean Dance Academy, the official Korean cultural ambassador to Southern California, returns to the L.A. County Holiday Celebration in the company’s traditional red and white folk dress with a Korean janggu drum dance, highlighting movement and rhythm.
Kayamanan Ng Lahi Philippine Folk Arts brings the celebratory traditional dance of the Southern Philippines typically performed at Thanksgiving, which pays homage to the spirits for a good harvest, healing and peace.
Lorenzo Johnson & Praizum returns to the L.A. County Holiday Celebration to harness the heart and soul of these times through music. Under the direction of Johnson with chorists from churches across Southern California, the inspiring group performs the hymn, “Only Believe” followed by the holiday classic, “Silver Bells.”
Noteable* is the award-winning a cappella men’s barbershop quartet based out of Citrus College. Sharing the joys of the season, Noteable performs favorites including “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “White Christmas” and “Jingle Bells/Sleigh Ride.”
Pacifico Dance Company, dedicated to the preservation and reconstruction of classical and contemporary Mexican dance forms, debuts an excerpt of the company’s newest work highlighting the southern coastal Mexican state of Veracruz and its Spanish, Afro-Caribbean and Indigenous cultural influences.
Palmdale High School Choral Union and Sunday Night Singers, a select ensemble of current high school and alumni singers that has performed nationally and internationally, swings with Christmas favorites from the 1940s including “Big Band Carol Medley” and the poignant “I’ll be Home for Christmas.”
Rangoli Dance Company shares the colorful sights, sounds and glory of south Indian music and dance traditions. Under the guidance of founder and choreographer Malathi Iyengar, six dancers perform to “Mallari,” a traditional composition with a dance that represents the sentiment of courage as a celebration of hope and light.
Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca* blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with pan-African styles and joyous music, bound to make audiences get up and dance. Under Lemvo’s direction, his Makina Loca ensemble performs original songs from its 30-year career.
Sean Oliu and The Coastline Cowboys* is a young country trio from Southern California whose performance merges the classic country sound with holiday music such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Meet Me Under the Mistletoe” and “Please Come Home for Christmas.”
Sound of China Guzheng Ensemble* puts the Chinese plucked zither instrument at the heart of its performances. Presenting a mix of Chinese and American music for Christmas, the ensemble performs “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” Sleigh Ride” and “Fragrance at Night,” a popular Chinese song.
Southern California Brass Consortium shares the exhilarating spirit of brass ensemble music for the holidays. Beginning with the traditional hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” the ensemble performs a “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer/Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” medley arranged by legendary Hollywood composer Jerry Fielding, which will be reproduced live for the first time since its original recording release 60 years ago.
The Opera Company at LACHSA (Los Angeles County High School for the Arts) is the only high school opera company in the nation that performs a season with orchestra. Showcasing a song for the season harkening hope, peace and faith, The Opera Company at LACHSA performs a bilingual version of David Foster’s “The Prayer.”
The Yuko Mabuchi Trio* performs a medley of three classic Christmas tunes tied together in a jazz style with improvisation on “Little Drummer Boy,” “Christmas Time is Here” and “Feliz Navidad.”
Tres Souls, comprised of members Roberto Carlos, Jesús Martínez and Rocio Mendoza, represents a revival of “Trio Romántico” music. The group’s performance features its original song, “La Luna Eres Tu,” inspired by Hip Hop rapper Talib Kweli, but performed in a classic Bolero style, “Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir” and the Motown classic, “My Girl.”
Versa-Style Dance Company honors authentic Salsa music culture with Street dance styles in “Rooted Rhythms,” a playful, celebratory work that represents the diverse experiences of the Latinx communities in Los Angeles. The piece is bookended by the group’s performing traditional Latin dances together in festive harmony and cultural tradition.
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For more information about the 61st Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration, visit holidaycelebration.org. Artists and performances are subject to change.
For more information about The Music Center, click HERE. You can also follow The Music Center on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @MusicCenterLA.
By Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Ballet Folklórico de Los Angeles – L.A. County Annual Holiday Celebration – Photo by Julie Rodriguez courtesy of The Music Center
