Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra sets Holiday Pops and New Year's Eve concerts

PORTSMOUTH - The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra will perform two Family Holiday Pops! concerts on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 18 at 3 p.m. at Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth.

An annual family favorite, this year’s Family Holiday Pops! performance will feature the Portsmouth High School Concert Choir and Percussion Ensemble. The festive program is appropriate for audiences of all ages and will include a seasonal blend of music from beloved holiday movies and classic Christmas favorites.

“We’re so excited to be able to bring back the family sing-along-portion of our Family Holiday Pops! performance this year,” said John Page, PSO Music Director. “This annual tradition is sure to get everyone in the holiday spirit.”

Individual general admission Holiday Family Pops! tickets are $30 for adults; $25 for seniors; and $15 students.

The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra will ring in 2023 with a New Year’s Eve Champagne Pops! concert on Saturday, December 31 at 8:00 pm at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH. The concert features special guest conductor Dr. Dirk Hillyer and guest vocalist Ben DiScipio.

The concert, which will also kick off the Portsmouth NH 400 year of festivities, will include favorites from Stephen Sondheim and Cole Porter along with highlights from Les Miserables, Gypsy, and Carmen and audiences can expect Duke Ellington to “pop” in as well.

Guest conductor Dr. Dirk Hillyer is an award-winning conductor and musician who has performed for over two decades on both the regional and national stage. His experiences range from the classical genre to “pops” music of Broadway and film, including two national tours for Disney’s “Disney-in-Concert.” His Hillyer Festival Orchestra (HFO) has given 150 performances over the past 23 years on the North Shore and in Boston, including playing Boston’s Hatch Shell on the Esplanade for five consecutive years.

Guest vocalist, tenor Ben DiScipio, is the winner of Boston’s highest musical theater award and brings a variety of talent in Broadway, operetta and jazz to this year’s Champagne Pops! performance.

Individual tickets for the New Year’s Eve concert are $38.

More information about the 25^th season and tickets is available at www.portsmouthsymphony.org

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth NH Orchestra sets Holiday Pops, New Year's Eve concerts