'Holiday Pops' returns with 'splash' and new energy on old favorite Christmas songs

From its founding in 1983 through its last live, pre-pandemic performance in 2019, the Columbus Symphony’s “Holiday Pops” stood as one of the staples of the area holiday concert scene.

Last year, the pandemic necessitated an interruption in that tradition: In lieu of live performances of “Holiday Pops,” the symphony performed, with no audience in attendance, a “Holiday Spectacular” for broadcast on WCMH-TV (Channel 4) and WBNS-TV (Channel 10).

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This year, “Holiday Pops” is back: In-person crowds will be welcomed at concerts in the Ohio Theatre on Dec. 3-5. (One of the shows will be taped for later airing on WSYX-TV (Channel 6), Urban One TV and Telemundo.)

But the long layoff between “Holiday Pops” encouraged symphony officials to reimagine the venerable program.

“It’s a completely new ‘Holiday Pops,’” said Daniel Walshaw, the symphony’s vice president of operations and artistic planning.

“It’s going to feel more ‘Radio City Christmas Spectacular’ than a traditional, more classically based ‘Holiday Pops,’” Walshaw said. “It’s really going to have some splash.”

A big part of that splash will be supplied by guest vocalist Capathia Jenkins.

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The Brooklyn native and Georgia resident will make her debut with the symphony.

“She’s amazing,” said Principal Pops Conductor Stuart Chafetz, who will conduct the shows and who has previously worked with Jenkins at orchestras outside Columbus.

“The crowds just simply love her,” he said. “I think people will just be blown away by her because she’s a force of nature.”

In a departure from past “Holiday Pops,” which focused more on the symphony itself rather than a single guest artist, Jenkins will be featured on songs throughout the concerts. Among the holiday staples to be performed by the singer are “Winter Wonderland,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

Jenkins acknowledges that the music may be familiar, but she’s counting on her vocal chops — and the symphony’s musicianship — lending new energy to old tunes.

“As an audience member, they may have just come from the grocery store and heard the same song,” she said. “But it’s different when you’re in there with us, and it’s happening live. Stuart raises the baton, and we’re off.”

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Jenkins will also sing sacred music, including the contemporary song “Mary, Did You Know?” and the classic carol “O Holy Night.”

“When you hear Capathia sing ‘O Holy Night,’ you won’t believe it,” Chafetz said. “When we think of ‘O Holy Night,’ we think of a very small, quiet melody. This is a full-on orchestral finale.”

The Columbus Children’s Choir, which will perform in front of the orchestra rather than upstage, will be featured on tunes including “Go Tell It On the Mountain” and “This Christmastide.” The choristers will also perform music commemorating Hanukkah, which began on Nov. 28, and ends Dec. 6 this year.

“Hanukkah is over our ‘Holiday Pops’ weekend this year, and we are doing three Hanukkah songs by a really fantastic arranger,” Walshaw said.

New to “Holiday Pops” this year will be the participation of the dancers and drummers from the Thiossane Institute, which will present the movement and music of West African culture.

“It’s going to be a really special part of the program,” Walshaw said. “We get to see something completely different that hasn’t been on a ‘Holiday Pops’ before.”

Omitted this year is the Columbus Symphony Chorus, which has been absent from Ohio Theatre stages during the pandemic; 60 of its 120 members performed at First Congregational Church last month, but the ensemble won’t be heard in Ohio Theatre concerts until next year.

“We didn’t want to put a lot of singers upstage singing towards the orchestra,” Walshaw said. “We’re still trying to be very cautious.”

Pandemic precautions aside, the artists promise concerts full of joy and gratitude.

“It’s well overdue,” Chafetz said. “I feel it in the air.”

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Holiday Pops at a glance

The Columbus Symphony’s “Holiday Pops” will be performed at 8 p.m. Dec. 3, and 3 p.m. Dec. 4-5. in the Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St. Masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test required. Patrons are encouraged to use the Bindle check-in app. Tickets cost $25 to $78. For more information, visit www.columbussymphony.com.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Symphony's "Holiday Pops" returns with new spin on classics