Andrea Ross Orpheum, photo by Maggie Sweets Photography

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is set to celebrate all the joys of the holiday season with Broadway vocalist Andrea Ross at this year's Holiday POPS! concerts on Saturday, December 14, 2024. Performances take place at 3:00pm & 6:00pm. Returning to Princeton from West Virginia's Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, John Devlin conducts both performances at Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University.

Mentored by none other than Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ms. Ross brings a clear soprano voice with an impressive range to “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” and more. The Princeton High School Choir lends its collective voice to choral favorites including “Joy to the World” and “O Holy Night,” and leads the audience in the much-anticipated annual carol sing-along.

Devlin says, “I’m thrilled to once again conduct Holiday POPS! and to work with the talented Andrea Ross to immerse audiences in the spirit of the season. It’s such a joyful time of year, and I love hearing patrons chiming in on holiday carols.”

John Devlin, photo by Don Mew

Conductor John Gennaro Devlin is an ardent champion of American music, an innovator of concert design, and a thought leader in the field of classical music. In his fourth season as Music Director of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, Devlin is only the ninth conductor in its 90-year history to hold that title. He was recently named a recipient of the 2023 Georg Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award. Devlin’s artistry and versatility make him a sought-after guest conductor with major orchestras across the nation. His engagements include performances with the National Symphony Orchestra, the Louisville Orchestra, the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, the Columbus Symphony, the Omaha Symphony, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, and the American Repertory Ballet.

Andrea Ross is an internationally recognized vocalist, recording artist, and Broadway performer. Her career was launched by the mentorship of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who produced her UK chart-topping album, Moon River. She has performed lead roles in Broadway national tours of Webber’s Whistle Down the Wind and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music. She received the prestigious Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Actress from the Boston Theater Critics Association, and recently received the Gold Medal at the American Traditions Vocal Competition. A sought-after soloist, she has appeared with top symphony orchestras around the world, including the Boston, Baltimore, and Detroit Symphony Orchestras, BBC Concert Orchestra, and many more. She was a guest artist for Concert for Diana, Princess of Wales, hosted by Princeton William and Prince Harry, and has been featured at prominent music festivals.

The Princeton High School Choir has an unusually rich tradition of choral excellence that is unique among American high schools. The choir has performed extensively in North America and Europe, touring as representatives of Princeton, New Jersey, one of America’s most distinguished communities. One of five performing ensembles, the 85 members of the choir are selected after careful audition of nearly 250 voices in the high school’s choral program.

Holiday POPS! PHS Choir Members, photo by PSO Staff

Tickets for Holiday POPS! with Andrea Ross range from $30-$110; Youths 5-17 receive a 50% discount with an adult purchase. Visit the Princeton Symphony Orchestra website at princetonsymphony.org or call 609-497-0020.

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is committed to ensuring all programming is accessible for everyone, working with venues such as Richardson Auditorium to provide needed services. Contact Mika Godbole for questions about available services at mgodbole@princetonsymphony.org or (609) 905-0931. Note: some services require at least two weeks’ notice to arrange.

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is a cultural centerpiece of the Princeton community and one of New Jersey’s finest music organizations, a position established through performances of beloved masterworks, innovative music by living composers, and an extensive network of educational programs offered to area students free of charge. Led by Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov, the PSO presents orchestral, pops, and chamber music programs of the highest artistic quality, supported by lectures and related events that supplement the concert experience. Its flagship summer program the Princeton Festival brings an array of performing arts and artists to Princeton during multiple weeks in June. Through PSO BRAVO!, the orchestra produces wide-reaching and impactful education programs in partnership with local schools and arts organizations that culminate in students attending a live orchestral performance. The PSO receives considerable support from the Princeton community and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, regularly garnering NJSCA’s highest honor. Recognition of engaging residencies and concerts has come from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the PSO’s commitment to new music has been acknowledged with an ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming and a Copland Fund Award. The only independent, professional orchestra to make its home in Princeton, the PSO performs at historic Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University.