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Special Holiday Concert—December 14, 2025
Join the Evanston Symphony Orchestra for an inclusive celebration of Holiday music. Our shortened holiday concert welcomes those who vocalize, move, and have diverse ways of experiencing music.
We welcome you to a barrier-free concert of classical holiday music, song, and dance, where everyone can express their love of music authentically for a magical holiday experience.
Please call 224-474-2554 for more information and to reserve your seats. $5 per adult. Persons under 18 are free. Everyone needs a reservation and must reserve by Friday, December 12. There will be no walk-in tickets available.
This concert will have live music and dance; ASL interpretation and a separate room with a calm space for retreat. Wheelchair spaces are limited, and advanced ticketing is required.
Free parking on Dodge Ave. Evanston Township High School is fully accessible.
Evanston Township High School Auditorium
1600 Dodge Ave. Evanston, IL
Sunday, December 14 from 12:30-1:15 p.m.
This event is sponsored by Evanston Arts Council, ComEd Powering the Arts, Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club, and Evanston Community Foundation.
Approved by the City of Evanston.
See below for the program.
EVANSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Lawrence Eckerling, Music Director
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2025 12:30 PM
EVANSTON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL
Program
Sleigh Ride
A Rockin Christmas (Sayer) 4:45
(includes Holly Jolly Christmas, Rudolph, Rockin Round the Christmas Tree, Jingle Bell Rock)
Oh Chanukah, Oh Chanukah from Stephenson’s Holiday Overture 1.30
Deck The Halls — Percussion Ensemble 2:00
A Most Wonderful Christmas 8:30
(includes Winter Wonderland, I’ll be home for Christmas, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, Have Yourself a Merry Christmas, It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year)
Dance: Waltz of the Flowers 6:45
Singalong Medley 8:00
Jingle Bells, Joy To The World, Hark the Herald Angels, Silent Night, Deck the Halls, Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Please note that all tickets are non-refundable. If your plans change, please let us know and we will acknowledge your purchase as a donation to the Evanston Symphony Orchestra.
What to expect on the day:
Parking and Navigating the building:
Arriving: Plan to get to ETHS on Dodge Ave around 12:00 to 12:15pm. You can park there from 12:00-2:00pm only. There is a free parking lot on the east side of the street at 1600 Dodge Ave.
We will have volunteers to help you park. You can cross over Dodge towards ETHS. There will be a very friendly crossing guard, named Debora. There is a fully disabled-accessible entrance to ETHS immediately in front of you once you have crossed the road. Come on in!
Continue down the hallway heading west once you have come through the entrance doors. The auditorium will be on your left-hand side after about 50 yards. Have your tickets ready (either printed or on your phone) to show the volunteers at the door.
Inside the Auditorium:
Please find your seats. Volunteers will help you. All seats are assigned and are listed on your tickets. You will see some players from the orchestra already on stage and practicing. Can you recognize any of the instruments?
We will give you a sheet of paper with the names of the pieces of music we are going to play. We will also have a map showing the auditorium, retreat room, and disabled-accessible bathrooms.
The start of the concert:
At about 12:30pm, once everyone is seated, the lights in the auditorium will dim; the orchestra will go quiet; and there will be some safety announcements. Then our conductor, Maestro Lawrence Eckerling, will come out onto the stage. Clap and cheer!! We think that Santa Claus will also come to this concert. Clap and cheer for him, too. He's come all the way from the North Pole especially for you.
Maestro Eckerling will then turn around to face the orchestra and he will signal for the music to start. We hope you love the music.
Maestro Eckerling or Santa will tell you about each piece of music. You can clap at the end of each piece of music. We will also have some young dancers dance to one of the pieces of music. The last piece of music is a singalong. We will play a number of carols and we hope you will sing with us.
The end of the concert:
Once the singing is over, please cheer and clap. Maestro Eckerling will leave the stage and the lights will get brighter. This is your signal that the concert is finished. Please leave the same way you came in.