If you go
› What: Chattanooga Symphony & Opera’s “Home for the Holidays” pops concerts.› When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17; 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18.› Where: Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St.› Admission: $21, $37, $55 and $83; $15 children 17 and younger.› Phone: 423-267-8583.› Website: www.ChattanoogaSymphony.org.
James M. StephensonThe Chattanooga Symphony & Opera gets in the holiday spirit with two performances of its annual seasonal gift, "Home for the Holidays," at the Tivoli Theatre on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 17-18.
The program includes all the bells and whistles: Christmas carols, holiday standards, new pieces composed by the guest conductor, a guest soprano soloist, local gospel soloist, big holiday CSO choir, Holly Jolly audience sing-along and even a visitor from the North Pole.
"This is a fun holiday program for the whole family that will be entertaining for kids and adults," says Sarah Stewart, CSO marketing manager. "The CSO Chorus is a major part of this show. James Stephenson is the guest conductor and has composed some of the pieces in the concert."
Stephenson wrote "BasSoon It Will Be Christmas," a piece making its Chattanooga debut, featuring CSO bassoonists Eric Anderson and Staci Spring. Anderson is CSO principal bassoonist, and Spring is his former student who is now the CSO Youth Orchestra manager.
"Christmas at Home," a medley of Christmas favorites by Stephenson, will be performed with the CSO Chorus, featuring guest soprano Michele Ragusa. The chorus also joins the soprano soloist on "When You Believe" from "Prince of Egypt" and "Santa Baby."
Darrin Hassevoort, director of the CSO Chorus, says he will conduct John Rutter's "What Sweeter Music?" Neshawn Calloway is doing a version of the gospel-tinged "Go Tell It on the Mountain" backed by the chorus and orchestra, he adds.
"There is something for the whole family at this concert," says Hassevoort. "I've found that kids really enjoy the holiday pops, and it is a great opportunity for parents to expose their children to the symphony, great pops and classical music."
Stewart says $21 tickets for Saturday night's performance have sold out, but some remain for Sunday's show.
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.
About the guests
› James M. StephensonMaking his conducting debut at this holiday concert, Stephenson is an arranger and conductor who is composer-in-residence and conductor of the Lake Forest Symphony near his Illinois home. “Compose Yourself!,” his young-audience composition, has been performed more than 300 times across the country since its creation in 2002. More than 50 of his solo brass compositions have been professionally recorded. He has a music catalog of concertos and sonatas for nearly every instrument, earning him the nickname “The Concerto King” from Chicago Symphony clarinetist John Yeh. He has composed a violin concerto that CSO concertmaster Holly Mulcahy will perform in March.› Michele RagusaThe soprano soloist is also making her debut with the CSO. She has starred in holiday pops concerts with Marvin Hamlisch and the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center. She most recently appeared with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kansas City Symphony in concert versions of “The Music Man.” She last starred on Broadway in Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein,” following Megan Mullally. She won the Barrymore Award and received Lortel and Drama League nominations for her performance as Corinna in Christopher Durang’s “Adrift in Macao” at Primary Stages-NYC.› Neshawn CallowayBorn and raised in Mississippi, Calloway grew up singing and directing choirs in church. After graduating from high school, she attended Memphis State University (now University of Memphis) as a business major before realizing she needed to follow her passion and pursue music. She moved to Chattanooga in 1994 to earn a master’s degree in music education from UTC, then worked as music department coordinator and choir director at Chattanooga State Community College. In 2001, she became choir director of six vocal ensembles at Chattanooga Center for Creative Arts, Hamilton County’s performing arts school, where she still teaches. In 2013, she was named Hamilton County Teacher of the Year.
Neshawn Calloway 
Michele Ragusa