Show Symphony Musicians Going Underground What do Utah Symphony musicians do between their last concert on Dec 7 and their next concert on Jan 8 Even though the Orchestra doesn't schedule any concerts during this day 30 period the musicians go right on playing And at times their schedule is more crowded than ever THE UTAH Symphony always interrupts its regular subscription subscription subscription sub sub- concert series following following following follow follow- ing the traditional orchestral- orchestral choral presentation this year Beethoven's Missa 1 in early December but members members members mem mem- bers of the Orchestra move to the orchestra pit where they perform their very vital community community community com com- role in providing music for delightful stage The major holiday season assignment one which utilizes the full orchestra complement is the joint presentation of the Nutcracker Ballet Ballot This delightful delightful delightful de de- holiday tradition was started by Maurice Abravanel Utah Symphony conductor and I William Christensen director of the then University Theatre Ballet Company now the Utah Civic Ballet as a cooperative cooperative cooperative co co- operative venture between the two organizations I DESPITE DEEP seated skepticism in virtually all quarters as to the possible success of the Nutcracker The University Theatre in fact formally voted it down Abravanel and Christensen Christensen Christensen Chris- Chris indomitably pressed forward with their dream of bringing the charm of Tchaikovsky's Tchaikovsky's Tchaikovsky's kovsky's masterpiece not only to capacity audiences at seven seven- Kingsbury Hall performances but also to audiences in other cities This year 16 and possibly possibly possibly bly 17 performances of the Nutcracker are scheduled Another delightful Christmas season tradition is the production production production tion of Menotti's opera and the Night Visitors scheduled scheduled scheduled for four performances in inthe inthe inthe the Tabernacle Again members members members mem mem- bers of the Utah Symphony will be on hand to provide the I I musical setting i ONE OF Utah's oldest Christmas Christ Christ- Christmas mas traditions is the Christ I annual presentation of Handels Handel's The Messiah 1 While the Utah Symphony Symphony Symphony Sym Sym- phony is not directly involved in this presentation it is only natural that the oratorio orchestra orches orches- tra will include many members members members mem mem- bers of the Utah Symphony Does the December break give the Utah Symphony's conductor conductor conductor con con- ductor a well-deserved well rest Hardly ON DECEMBER 10 Mr 1 i Abravanel flew to Washington DC D.C. to attend a meeting of i the Music Panel of the National Nation Nation- al Endowment for the Arts of which he is a member This blue ribbon panel includes such luminaries in the music world as Leonard Bernstein Aaron Copland Isaac Stern George and others From Washington he flew to New York where he met with artist managers in connection with next seasons season's programs thence to Los Angeles for more meetings Mr 11 Abravanel will I arrive back in Salt Lake City in time to begin Nutcracker rehearsals MEANWHILE BACK at the symphony office work continues contin contin- ues allegro as the staff tackles the usual year-end year job of updating updating up up- dating its books which reflect a record number of concerts for the first half of the season Symphony manager Herold Gregory made a quick trip to New York to confer with managers of the other 29 major major major ma ma- jor orchestras of America in their annual meeting at Lincoln Center v r f sue wp fc AND BEFORE you know it the Utah Symphony will be beback beback beback back in full swing with an average average average aver aver- age of five concerts a week I starting with the one Jan in the toe Tabernacle I |