Ocean View will be treated to a double ration of Christmas music and holiday cheer when the South Hawaii Symphony joins with The Jazz Gardeners to present a free, two-hour-long Christmas concert beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 23 in Ocean View.
As in the past, the orchestra will be led by Farley Sangels, a highly-accomplished musician who has played with many major orchestras around the world, including the Hong Kong Philharmonic.
The Christmas concert will be the third concert presented by this popular community orchestra, consisting of about 18 musicians, mostly living in Ka‘u.
The Jazz Gardeners, a four-person group of musicians, are expected to showcase their talent during the show’s second half. Sangels’ talent will be in evidence as he plays the trumpet and the keyboard – often at the same time. Joining him on stage will be Cheryl Cuevas performing multilingual vocals, Aaron Loesser on double bass and Gabriel Cuevas on drums.
The South Hawaii Symphony will play a program of popular and time-honored Christmas carols interspersed with ethnic music, such as “De Tierra Lejana Vemimos” from Puerto Rico, “Gesu Bambino” from Italy, an Israeli folk song entitled “Glee Reigns in Galilee” and a piece from “Hansel and Gretel.”
The concert will be held at the Ocean View Community Center, 92-8924 Leilani Circle, beginning at 2 p.m. The Jazz Gardeners will take the stage at 3 p.m.
There is no charge for admission, but donations to cover expenses are always welcome.
In keeping with the season’s spirit and the Ka‘u district’s reputation for generosity, the audience is encouraged to bring popcorn, holiday cookies or other baked goods to share during the performances. “I would like our audience to have something to munch while they enjoy our music,” explained Sangels, adding, “We want to lift spirits in any way we can!”