Prepare for Power, Precision, Finesse and Soaring Artistry in this Festive Holiday Concert

Composed by Tchaikovsky to counter a bout of insomnia and melancholy, Serenade for Strings immediately cheered him up, and he reported “feeling well, invigorated and content”—as gratified listeners have over the years. Few composers have possessed the ability to reflect emotions within their music as well as Tchaikovsky, and the serenade channels solemnity and joy (an homage to Mozart, a memorable waltz) into one perfect package. Barber’s iconic Adagio, “full of pathos and cathartic passion, rarely leaves a dry eye” (it was played at the funerals of Albert Einstein and Princess Grace of Monaco…). Holberg Suite (subtitled “suite in olden style”—1884), one of Grieg’s most beloved works, offers chorale-like harmonies, joyous and lilting rhythms, and hints of a rural fiddle player. Boccherini’s Baroque-era Cello Concerto, rewritten in a Romantic vein, is a virtuosic delight. The conductorless Vivace String Orchestra takes center stage and CEWM’s artistic director and cellist extraordinaire Yehuda Hanani will be the soloist in this work.

Concert goers are invited to our Afteglow Reception on the Mahaiwe stage to meet the artists and celebrate the season.

Single Tickets, $55 (Orchestra and Mezzanine), $30 (Balcony) and $15 for students, are available through Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center or call 413-528-0100.

Season Subscriptions can now be purchased pro-rated $225. Season Subscribers are able to watch our 2024/25 performances one week after each concert via an email link sent one week after each performance.