Culture
Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Center Host Holiday Programming
By: Emily Votaw
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Since the early ‘90s, the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in Gallipolis has been serving Southeast Ohio’s performing arts community by providing a gorgeous, historic setting for live music and theater.
This month, the Ariel is hosting a holiday-themed concert every Saturday of the month, kicking off tomorrow with their annual Ohio Valley Symphony Christmas show.
“People always want to hear music, but during Christmastime, especially,” said Lora Lynn Snow, the executive director of the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre. “On the first Saturday in December, we always have our Christmas concert. We spend a lot of time trying to find new pieces to perform, as well as new ways to perform traditional pieces.”
The Ohio Valley Symphony’s Christmas concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Ariel.
The following Saturday, Dec. 10, marks the yearly Merry Tuba Christmas celebration, which is a part of the nation-wide bass instrument celebration that has been taking place since 1974.
“Merry Tuba Christmas is free to the public; and the public, tuba and euphonium players, are welcome to participate,” said Snow. “You know, tuba and euphonium players get positively giddy when they get a melody to play – because that doesn’t happen too often for them!”
The event takes place smackdab in the middle of the afternoon, at 2 p.m.; making the concert a little easier for families with children to attend, and, hopefully, making it possible for them to shop for a bit in downtown Gallipolis.
The Ariel’s final holiday event, entitled Voices of Christmas, is slated for Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. The program will feature a variety of works by piano and voice students who study at the Ariel.
“Voices of Christmas really showcases our young student musical population in this area,” said Elaine Swinney, a member of the Ohio Valley Symphony Orchestra, as well as stringed instrument instructor. “We bring together all different genres – voice, piano, string players.”
For more information, visit arieltheatre.org..