Iconic Letter to the Editor comes to life during performance

By Becky Mayad

Just in time for the holidays, the Lone Star Wind Orchestra (LSWO) will present Unwrap the Joy, a Christmas celebration featuring festive music for the entire family — from carols and classical pieces, to contemporary tunes that have a special way of bringing people together and enhancing the holiday spirit. Under the direction of LSWO guest conductor Andrew Trachsel, the concert will be performed Sunday, Dec. 15, at 3 p.m. at Moody Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District (2520 Flora St., 75201).

A highlight this year includes the return of a favorite titled “Is There a Santa Claus?,” a musical work written by Joseph T. Spaniola based on the text taken from the 1897 editorial titled “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.” Francis P. Church’s editorial, which was published in the New York Sun in response to a letter by 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon, has become an important part of popular Christmas lore in the United States.

Narrating the work will be WRR 101.1’s Amy Bishop who returns to Moody Performance Hall to collaborate once again with the Lone Star Wind Orchestra. She garnered rave reviews last spring for her narration of the Orchestra’s performance of Dan Brown’s “Wild Symphony.”

“It’s been almost a decade since we performed a Christmas concert. We’re excited to present one this December and ring in the season with some holiday cheer,” said Christopher Tucker, director of marketing for Lone Star Wind Orchestra. “It’s a family favorite, and we think our audiences are going to especially love the return of ‘Is There a Santa Claus?’”

The Lone Star Wind Orchestra program also includes Jingle Them Bells by Julie Giroux; A Christmas Festival by Leroy Anderson; Adoration by Florence Price/Williams; Christmas Day: Fantasy on Old Carols by Gustav Holst/Daehn; March of the Toys by Victor Herbert/Clarke; Nutcracker Fantasia by Julie Giroux; Minor Alterations (Christmas Through the Looking Glass) by David Lovrien; and Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson.

The afternoon is particularly meaningful for the Lone Star Youth Winds, a group of gifted young musicians from North Texas who are part of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra’s educational outreach efforts. Fresh off their performance at Carnegie Hall this summer, the Lone Star Youth Winds have been given an invaluable opportunity to participate in the holiday concert, playing alongside the LSWO’s professional musicians.

Tickets to Unwrap the Joy may be purchased at lswo.com or at the door the day of the event. 

The Lone Star Wind Orchestra is supported by the City of Richardson, Moody Fund for the Arts, City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, Texas Commission on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and TACA. For more information, go to lswo.com.