John Pew, the founder and conductor of the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra (TSO), exemplifies what I would consider a forward thinking, solution-oriented founder of a community organization. When we needed a place to rehearse, and we also lacked important percussion equipment for our upcoming production of Rob Gardner’s LAMB OF GOD, I approached John with an idea: we could combine our percussion equipment with his and between our two organizations we would have a full compliment. I also asked if we could store all equipment at and rehearse at the Highland Community Center where the TSO rehearses.

I have run into other music organization leaders who are so fearful of others and so protective of what they have that they refuse to enter into the kinds of mutually beneficial partnerships that Witness Music and the TSO now have. I am impressed with John’s open mindedness. When organizations are small and growing, it requires partnerships at this level to help them succeed and I want to publicly thank John and the TSO board of directors for their forward thinking attitude. It has benefited us both.

Please read the full post here and definitely please check out their upcoming production of Rob Gardner’s LAMB OF GOD. We look forward to a long and successful relationship with Garin and Witness Music. Thanks for the shout-out.

TSO: This album was recorded “out of the season.” What was it like to to focus on Christmas in a time other than December?

Baker: I started discussing the concept of the album with Kurt Bestor a year ago.  Kurt then worked on arranging the music for me off and on over the next several months.  I started receiving the arrangements in the end of June and then had two or three  weeks to learn the arrangements before we recorded them. That is tricky to pull off as a mother of four kids out of school for the summer… Stress!!! But it came together. Once we got into the studio, it only took me only about a week to record my parts on the album. Kurt however, was in the studio for at least another month getting all the other instruments and singers recorded, edited and mixed. But, now that the album is out, I really get busy, as I am traveling all over the country performing it.

TSO: Tell us about the wonderful women who performed with you on the album.

Baker: Alex Sharpe is an Irish singer and was a member of Celtic Woman. I love her voice and wanted to get her involved to give the music a great vibe. She is going to be singing with us on the Monday night performance. I hadn’t heard of Kitka, a Eastern European women’s choir from the Bay Area, before recording the album. Kurt Bestor knew them and brought them in for “Carol of the Bells” and “Patapan“. They are terrific. I love the international flavor.

TSO: How did your children get involved?

Baker: Our four kids appear in my music video.  The video is Silent Night and features a children’s nativity pageant.  When I heard that a nativity was going to be enacted as part of the video, I asked the director if my four children could be in it.  He was kind enough to make room for them.  I have three angels and one shepherd appearing.  It makes the video even more special to me.

TSO: Here is a question from one of our Facebook friends. Where do you get your beautiful dresses?

Baker: (laughs) That is a great question! I always have an eye out for great dresses. I look at the outlet stores for the expensive retailers, like Nieman Marcus and Lord & Taylor that cater to the more elegant dresses. I have a friend whose gift is clothing. I call her up with a quest for the perfect dress and within a few hours, she will have five fantastic options. I think my husband secretly wishes we weren’t such good friends – it can get expensive. I have to match the dress to the performance. For example, I have to be able to move more for some songs, like “Ding Dong Merrily on High“. You need to come see the dress I found for that one!

TSO: We are so thrilled to have you play with the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra. Anything you would like to tell us about the program?

Baker: As I said, this album was designed to be a played live. We are also adding “Ave Maria” and “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” from my first Christmas album. The Timpanogos Symphony is a great orchestra. I am thrilled to be able to work with them again. I am performing in other venues this month, but this concert will be the first time every song from the new album will be performed together. It is kind of a debut. “In the Bleak Midwinter” will be performed in the members-only pre-concert reception, so there’s a reason to get a membership.

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We are thrilled to have Jenny Oaks Baker back on our stage. The concerts are Monday and Tuesday (December 17 and 18) at 7:00. Please don’t miss this chance to hear this wonderful new album live. Get your tickets before they are gone!

TSO: Where did you get the idea for this new album?

Baker: As soon as I finished recording my last album, “Wish Upon A Star: A Tribute to the Music of Walt Disney”, I knew that I wanted to record another Christmas album.  I love Celtic music, so I originally envisioned doing an entire Celtic Christmas album. However my brilliant arranger, Kurt Bestor, was well-aware that there are countless Celtic Christmas albums, and he came up with a much more intriguing concept of doing an album that takes the listener in a bit of a musical tour through the exhilarating sounds of Old Europe-to distant lands and Christmas pasts.  What we ended up with is the most amazing music I have ever recorded!  The album features Irish Singer, Alex Sharpe, formerly of Celtic Woman, brilliantly singing “Wexford Carol” and  ”Oiche Chiuin” – “Silent Night” in Gaelic.  ”Ding Dong Merrily on High” and “The Holly and the Ivy” are also arranged in the Celtic style.  The album also features the Eastern European Women’s Choir, “Kitka”, singing the Ukrainian “Carol of the Bells“, as well as a Hungarian Gypsy-esque version of “Patapan“. The carol, ” We Three Kings” has a very cool Middle Eastern vibe to it. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (which is one of the oldest Christmas carols) is reminiscent of Renaissance music. “In the Bleak Midwinter” is hauntingly icy and beautifully still (think ice field in Scandinavia).  ”Angels We Have Heard” is written in a very buoyant Baroque style. The concept of the album is great, but it is really the way that the music came alive in the recordings that has me so excited!  I love all the cool, ancient instruments from all over the world that are featured on the album-Irish Bones, lute, Middle Eastern drums, dulcimer, Kora, ney flute, and cymbalom just to name a few.

TSO: What does Christmas music mean to you?

Baker: I love Christmas music. People aren’t just listening to whatever pop is on the radio. They are listening to familiar melodies. It’s a time when it is okay to listen to our parent’s music. It is a time when the oldies come back. Also, it is great to hear sacred music on the radio. It is a time of gorgeous melodies with tradition and Spirit.

TSO: What was your goal for this album?

Baker: I do a lot of Christmas concerts. My first Christmas album, O Holy Night, came out 5 years ago, but not best for a live performance. It is the perfect music for listening to while trimming the tree, but not ideal for a live concert. I really wanted to have something that would be really good live. Aurally, emotionally, this really hit the mark. Visually, it is going to blow people away. I love Celtic music. Kurt not only did that, but picked up Middle Eastern (“We Three Kings”) and Eastern European (“Patapan” and “Carol of the Bells“). All the different styles are well thought out, yet musically and emotionally satisfying. Kurt is the pianist for “In a Bleak Midwinter”. It is fun to record with the composer.

Come back tomorrow for the rest of our interview with Jenny Oaks Baker. Tickets to the concert a selling quickly. Get yours right away.

Click here to continue to the rest of the interview with Jenny.

Writing for the Salt Lake Tribune, Catherine Reese Newton recommends that parents consider a number of factors before treating children to the symphony. Consider the following:

• Make a realistic assessment of your child’s ability to enjoy a long concert. Look up the music and listen to it at home to see how your child responds.
• Make expectations clear. It’s not okay to read, play, color, or snack in the concert hall.
• Electronic games, even muted, are not appropriate at the symphony, as they are distracting to neighboring patrons.
• Remember that children can be unpredictable. If you come with a child, please sit near an exit and be prepared to retreat to the lobby if the child becomes a distraction.

For further considerations, please read the entire article by following this link.

Why does a symphony need a blog? That is a great question. The reason goes back to our Mission Statement:

The mission of the TSO is:

• to present high-caliber performances which inspire musicians and audiences alike;
• to nurture understanding and appreciation of symphonic music; and
• to enrich the cultural life of the greater Utah County community.

It is the second bullet that drove us to create a place for education. Through the blog we will provide additional information to enrich your musical experience.

Here are just a few things we plan to share here:

• Background information on the composers and their music.
• Biographical information and interviews with our guest artists.
• Candid interviews with members of the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra.
• Transparant data on what it takes to run the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra.
• A view from the conductor’s podium for each concert – why did he choose the music, what it means to him and his thoughts on how to enjoy it more.

Check back often, especially during the concert season. We plan on having new information each week. Join us on Facebook as well for TSO Fast Facts. If you have ideas for how we can better fulfill your expectations, please leave us a comment below. We love to hear from the audience.