THE MONTEREY COUNTY POPS! BRASS with CHORUS HOLIDAY CONCERTS

The Monterey County Pops! Brass is delighted to announce the presentation of two complimentary holiday concerts, designed to bring festive cheer to the community. 

Saturday, December 13, 2025, 7:30 p.m.

Hartnell College Western Stage, Salinas

411 Central Ave, Salinas, CA 93901

Sunday, December 14, 2025, 3:00 p.m.

Church of the Wayfarer, Carmel

Lincoln St &, 7th Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Monterey County Pops! – Brass & Percussion Ensemble

Get ready for an unforgettable musical experience that promises to captivate audiences of all ages! Join us for a thrilling 80-minute concert where professional artistry meets family-friendly entertainment, all at no cost to you! Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to arrive early when doors open an hour prior to the show. 

Hartnell College Choir

Witness the powerful sounds of the 15-piece Brass and Percussion Ensemble from Monterey County Pops!, expertly led by our talented Music Director and Conductor, Dr. Carl Christensen, alongside the harmonious 35-member Hartnell College Choir under the direction of the esteemed Professor Sandy Rudo. 

This dynamic collaboration features a dazzling array of instruments, including trumpets, French horns, trombones, euphonium, tuba, timpani, and percussion, creating a rich and vibrant tapestry of sound that will resonate in your heart long after the final note. Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in a day of musical brilliance!

Monterey County Pops! Brass & Percussion Ensemble

The program will open with festive Renaissance music by Tielman Susato and dances by Praetorius.  The glorious tradition of Venetian antiphonal brass music will be represented by canzonas by Giovanni Gabrieli and Aurelio Bonelli.  The program will continue with “Fanfare and Chorus” by Buxtehude, a Danish composer much admired by J.S. Bach.  “O Magnum Mysterium” by contemporary California Morten Lauridsen will be performed in an arrangement which the composer created for the brass of the San Francisco Symphony.  The instrumental portion will conclude with contemporary settings of traditional holiday carols arranged by Bill Holcombe, David Uber, and Hawley Ades.

The concert will conclude with the 35-voice Hartnell College Choir joining the brass and percussion ensemble for contemporary settings of “Deck the Hall,” “Hanukkah Song,” “Silver Bells,” “Let It Snow,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

A lobby reception with the performers will follow the concert.

In this giving season, please consider supporting Monterey County Pops! so we can bring more free concerts to our community!

Support Monterey County Pops!