Nothing says Christmas like a little fiddle and mandolin and the sweet echo of the hollers.
Throw in a little Duke Ellington, Tchaikovsky and Aaron Copland and you have ... Civic Orchestra of Tucson turning the holidays on its head.
For the first time in its history, Civic Orchestra of Tucson is teaming up with a bluegrass band to perform Phillip Rhodes' 1972 "Bluegrass Festival Suite."
The 70-musician-strong orchestra under Music Director Keun Oh is adding a bluegrass twist to its annual holiday concert.
COT is teaming up with a quintet of bluegrass musicians including orchestra violinist Rosie Briones to perform Phillip Rhodes’ "Bluegrass Festival Suite."
A bluegrass band — from left, Roșie Briones, Bob Emmert, Dan Mullin, Rudy Mamula, and Joe Reighley — will join Civic Orchestra of Tucson for the orchestra's annual holiday concert beginning this weekend.
The work is on a program that features holiday favorites including selections from Tchaikovsky's iconic Christmas-time ballet "The Nutcracker," Alan Silvestri's "The Polar Express" and Big Band leader Ellington's "Sophisticated Ladies." The orchestra also will perform Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man."
Oh said the idea of bringing a bluegrass band into the orchestra's 50th anniversary season was inspired by Briones, who has played violin in the orchestra since 2012 and fiddle for Tucson bluegrass and country bands since 2015.
Conductor Keun Oh became a fan of bluegrass after working with a bluegrass band for the orchestra's upcoming holiday concert.
"Each year, I meet with the Board of Directors to discuss programming for the upcoming season. During those discussions, I knew that one of our violinists is a member of this band, which naturally led us to consider, and ultimately select, this piece for performance," Oh said in a recent email interview.
The band also includes mandolin player Rudy Mamula, a former president of the Desert Bluegrass Association; Dan Mullin on bass; Bob Emmert on banjo; and Joe Reighley on acoustic guitar.
"Bluegrass Festival Suite" is Oh's introduction to the quintessential American genre.
"In preparing for this collaboration, I became a fan of their music," he said. "There was little difficulty adapting to the style, as many of us have encountered this type of music through radio, film and various media. Rehearsals were thoroughly enjoyable. However, the handwritten score did present some challenges in reading the notation."
Oh said adding a bluegrass work to the orchestra's classical repertoire creates "a surprising and wonderful contrast."
"The bluegrass sound is earthy and close to the bone plucked strings, tight harmonies, a kind of front porch immediacy," he said. "The orchestra brings breadth, a cinematic sweep and a harmonic palette that stretches the music outward. It’s like watching a familiar story suddenly unfold in technicolor."
Civic Orchestra of Tucson is not the first Tucson orchestra to perform "Bluegrass Festival Suite." Tucson Symphony Orchestra played it in March 1978 during its 70th season.
Oh, who grew up in South Korea, said his favorite Christmas carol is "Silent Night," which has "a simplicity and stillness to it that never fails to move me."
"It’s a moment of peace in a season full of brightness and sound," he said.
COT opens its holiday concert series on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Green Valley Recreation West Center Auditorium, 1111 S. GVR Drive. The concert begins at 3 p.m. and tickets are $15 at the door or online at gvrec.org.
At 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, the orchestra moves the concert to El Conquistador Resort, 10000 N. Oracle Road, for a free concert in the Presidio Ballroom. Details at cot.org.
