Annual Holiday Pops Concerts Announced
The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s “Holiday Pops with the ASO”concert is a decades-long annual tradition. This year, two concerts will be performed.
Mark your calendars:
- Evening Performance: Friday, December 13th at 7:30 PM at Maryland Hall
- Matinee Performance: Saturday, December 14th at 3:00 PM at Severna Park High School, a new-this-season addition
The program includes traditional pieces such as music from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, Leontovich’s Carol of the Bells, and Johann Strauss Jr.’s Die Fledermaus, and as well as popular music such as Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Coots and Gillespie’s Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, and Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s jazzy rendition of The Nutcracker Suite Overture, a playful and innovative reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s classic that features bold swinging rhythms and clever reorchestration.
No matter how busy your holiday schedule is, we have a performance that fits! Be sure to select your preferred date and location when purchasing your tickets.
Get ready to experience one of the most beloved traditions in Annapolis—Holiday Pops with the ASO!
Join the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and 70 world-class musicians for a dazzling mix of classic carols and heartwarming holiday tunes. Guest Artist, vocalist Katherine Sanford Schrock will bring extra sparkle to this unforgettable concert. Her stunning voice will help make this holiday celebration one you won’t forget!
Evening performance – Friday, December 13th at 7:30pm at Maryland Hall
Matinee performance – Saturday, December 14th at 3:00pm at Severna Park High School
BLACK FRIDAY SALE!
Get 30% OFF tickets to either performance! Use the code POP30 to save big! Student tickets are just $10. Student tickets cannot be purchased online. Please call our Box Office to redeem your savings 410-263-0907.
HOW IT WORKS:
- Purchase dates are 11/28-12/1
- 30% off Holiday Pops tickets
- Use code POP30 at check out on the ASO website
- Does not include Parterre or Orchestra AA at Maryland Hall
- Includes all seating at Severna Park High School
- Cannot be combined with any other offer.
- Purchase tickets online
Annapolitan Katherine Sanford Schrock will be featured as the solo vocalist alongside 70 ASO musicians, all under the baton of Conductor and Artistic Director José-Luis Novo. “We’re thrilled to celebrate the upcoming holidays with a concert program featuring a delightful mix of cherished holiday classics and attractive symphonic arrangements that embody the season’s spirit,” said Novo. “Audiences can expect some surprises and quite a bit more fun than they’re used to from an orchestra—this is truly magical music!”
When Sanford Schrock takes the stage for the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Pops concerts, it will be a triumphant return to Annapolis. After beginning her training at the Polly Parr Corretjer Voice Studio in Bowie, Maryland, Sanford Schrock earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Maryland under the tutelage of Martha Randall, and was awarded the University of Maryland School of Music Director’s Award. She obtained her Master’s degree at the University of Michigan, studying under Freda Herseth. She was a recipient of the University of Michigan Stevenson Friends of Opera Scholarship during her two years at the school.
Ms. Schrock is a July 2024 inductee into the Archbishop Spalding High School Fine Arts Hall of Fame. Previous to her move from Annapolis to Virginia Beach, Virginia, Katherine was a frequent cantor at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the United States Naval Academy Brigade of Midshipmen Chapel. “There’s no better feeling than doing what I love in my hometown,” said Sanford Schrock. “Performing with an orchestra is an extraordinary experience for any vocalist, and I’m very much looking forward to collaborating with the ASO during such a special time of year. Sharing these concerts with my family and friends in Annapolis is a dream.“

Matinee Performance at Severna Park High School
The ASO is excited to present an all-new matinee performance at Severna Park High School. “Our audience and patrons have long commented on wanting a matinee performance,” said interim Executive Director Erica Bondarev Rapach. “We’re thrilled to make this concert available to the community and look forward to greeting new folks who may not have experienced the incredible talent and music of the ASO until now.” Severna Park High School was fully renovated in 2017, and has a large auditorium that seats 1,000 ticket holders. “We are honored to create a space to bring our music to more people in other areas of Anne Arundel County outside of Annapolis,” Bondarev Rapach said.
Tickets are available on the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra website at AnnapolisSymphony.org. $10 student tickets are available for both the Maryland Hall and Severna Park performances but cannot be purchased online. Please call the Box Office at 410-263-0907 to access student pricing. Proof of student status is required. Tickets are selling fast, and we want you to be part of this unforgettable holiday experience.
Join us for a festive celebration that promises to be a highlight of your holiday season.
Purchase your tickets now and secure your spot at the Holiday Pops concert—where the spirit of the season comes alive!
