Resident conductor Chelsea Gallo, who joined TFO in 2022, is the Holiday Pops\u2019 conductor. It\u2019s never the same program from year to year, she stresses, which makes it something of a gift, for listeners and musicians alike, every December.<\/p>\n
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This year\u2019s program includes traditional favorites, of course, like Anderson\u2019s \u201cSleigh Ride\u201d and sections of Tchaikovsky\u2019s Nutcracker Suite. But the orchestra will also play well-loved themes from Hollywood\u2019s Elf and Home Alone.<\/p>\n
Veteran broadcast journalist Trevor Pettiford will narrate \u201cTwas the Night Before Christmas\u201d to the strains of Ralph Vaughan Williams\u2019 Fantasia on Greensleeves.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always add really special, local elements to the show,\u201d says Gallo. \u201cEvery year the staff get together and we re-write \u2018The Twelve Days of Tampa Bay Christmas.\u2019 We include things that happened in the community during the year, or things we\u2019re excited about \u2026 and some silly stuff, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year, we said \u201cSeven new condo buildings,\u201d and everyone groaned. Everyone gets it. And instead of \u2018four something-something,\u2019 there was \u2018I-4 is backed up.\u2019 We just love doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and the Tampa Oratorio Singers will be part of the festivities (and yes, the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel\u2019s Messiah will make an appearance).<\/p>\n
This, believes Gallo, underscores that Holiday Pops is a once-a-year musical event by and for Tampa Bay. \u201cWe\u2019re not writing \u2018Twelve Days of Christmas\u2019 for just any town,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s for our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gallo, who grew up in a jazz-crazy household in California, programmed a \u201cBig Band\u201d Christmas surprise at the beginning of the concert\u2019s second half.<\/p>\n
Music director Michael Francis brought Gallo into the fold following her stints as conductor with the Detroit Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic the Loyola Symphony, among other prestige gigs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just remember being so grateful,\u201d she explains, \u201cbecause during the pandemic so many conductors were furloughed from positions they had. And that\u2019s what happened to me. And then to find out that there even was a conducting job open, anywhere in the country at that time, was so important and unique.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last month, TFO announced it had extended Gallo\u2019s contract for another two years. \u201cChelsea is a wonderful conductor, a superb communicator and a highly creative programmer who does so much for TFO both on and off the podium,\u201d Francis said in a prepared statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I get to do with The Florida Orchestra is really, really unique,\u201d Gallo says. \u201cI am so blessed to have a position completely unlike other conducting positions in the entire country.<\/p>\n
\u201cMichael and I talked about it. I think I\u2019m probably conducting more this position than most people do with music director positions.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd it\u2019s all because of the musicians\u2019 trust in me, and Michael\u2019s trust in me. I now lead the Morning Matinee series, and I\u2019m in charge of programming it. I\u2019m also in charge of working with our VP of Artistic to program our special Soundwaves series, which has also changed its identity a little bit: We\u2019re working to have more theatrical elements on that series.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mission, of course, is to help Michael bring his artistic vision to life. And everything we do is aligned with the core artistic vision.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe other thing is that TFO is growing so fast that there are more opportunities for me to conduct. Things are going so well; it\u2019s really an exciting time to be part of this orchestra.\u201d<\/p>\n