“The Vermont Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops is back, after the COVID hiatus, with something new—all three performances will be conducted by the VSO’s second music director candidate,” writes Jim Lowe in Saturday’s (12/4) Rutland Herald. “ ‘I’m really excited about it,’ Peter Askim said.… The VSO, conducted by Askim, will perform their Holiday Pops program … Dec. 10 at the Barre Opera House … Dec. 11 at The Flynn in Burlington; and … Dec. 12 at Rutland’s Paramount Theatre…. In Barre, Vermont Lt. Gov. Molly Gray will join the festivities to conduct Leroy Anderson’s ‘Sleigh Ride.’ It will be led by NBC5 Chief Meteorologist Tom Messner in Burlington…. Askim … the second of seven finalists … has a multiple career as conductor, composer and bassist. He is … conductor of the Raleigh Civic Symphony and Chamber Orchestra, as well as director of orchestral activities at North Carolina State University…. The Holiday Pops concerts [will feature] selections from … ‘The Nutcracker’ and the ‘Polar Express Concert Suite’ by Alan Silvestri [and] African American composer Florence Price’s (1887-1953) song ‘Fleet ’o Jesus.’ ‘It’s a gorgeous, gorgeous piece, and I did an orchestration of it—this will be the premiere,’ Askim said.”
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