This season,
trade your screens for strings
Don’t Miss Duke Ellington’s jazzy Nutcracker Suite
guest artist
Kedrick Armstrong | Guest Conductor
Freeman Conducting Fellow Alum
Schedule
| Date | Time | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, December 19, 2025 | 7:00 PM | Wentz Concert Hall (Naperville) | Get tickets |
| Saturday, December 20, 2025 | 7:00 PM | Mandel Hall (Hyde Park) | Get tickets |
Overview
A joyful twist on the traditional holiday concert — where jazz meets classical, and everyone’s invited.
At the heart of it: Duke Ellington’s swinging take on The Nutcracker, transforming Tchaikovsky’s classic into a big-band celebration along with a global program of festive music, from a Hanukkah symphony, a piece with Latin American flair, and favorites like Sleigh Ride.
Before the music begins, you’ll sip hot cocoa and craft your own luminaria. It all ends in a warm glow as the audience joins in a sing-along under soft, shared light.
Perfect for family traditions, first dates, or reconnecting with friends without heading downtown or breaking the bank.
Program
| Nigel Hess | A Christmas Overture | ||
| Quinn Mason | Christmas Eve | ||
| Peter Jaffe | Symph-Hanukkah | ||
| Vítězslava Kaprálová | Christmas Prelude | ||
| Duke Ellington | Nutcracker Suite (After Tchaikovsky) | ||
| Samuel Coleridge-Taylor | Christmas Overture | ||
| Robert Xavier Rodríguez | Piñata | ||
| Augusta Holmès | La Nuit et l’amour | ||
| Leroy Anderson | Sleigh Ride | ||
| Gary Parks | Joyeaux Noel! A Holiday Sing-A-Long |
what you’ll experience
watch the trailer
See What You’ll Be Part Of — a Look back at the 2024 concert
Meet your Guest Conductor: Kedrick Armstrong
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