The Chelsea Symphony is thrilled to welcome ANNIE GOLDEN as our special guest narrator this year for The Night Before Christmas, on our upcoming holiday concert on Friday, December 7, at 8pm. Written by founding member and resident composer Aaron Dai, TCS has performed this annual beloved holiday tradition for as long as the orchestra has been in existence.

For those who know her from stage or screen, or even from her punk rock band, her talent and reputation as a pro precede her. We have long been a fan of her work and can't wait to hear her bring this holiday favorite to life!

About this musical setting, Aaron explains the TCS connection to this iconic poem:

When Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas”—also known as “The Night Before Christmas”—in 1822, his large country estate called “Chelsea” extended all the way from what is now Eighteenth Street to Twenty-Fourth Street, and from Eighth Avenue to Tenth Avenue in Manhattan. A wealthy gentleman and devout Episcopalian, Moore lived with his family atop an enormous hill (now long gone) near the corner of Twenty-First Street and Ninth Avenue. Today’s Chelsea district takes its name directly from Moore’s estate, and The Chelsea Symphony therefore has a kind of native connection to the man and his legacy.

Originally written for Moore’s children, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” is primarily responsible for establishing the contemporary American conception of Santa Claus, including his appearance, the night he visits, his method of transportation, the number and names of his reindeer, and his act of bringing toys to children. Before the poem, American ideas about St. Nicholas and other Christmastide visitors varied tremendously, with significant differences between ethnicities, religions, and social classes. Moore’s vision of Santa Claus created a happy medium among these often competing ideas—a quintessentially American tradition in and of itself.

Tickets available on Eventbrite!