YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN, November 9, 2025--Music Director Adam C. Riccinto and the Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra (YSO) will present their annual Holiday Extravaganza at the Lincoln High School Performing Arts Center on Sunday, December 14 at 3:30 p.m. This year’s family-friendly “Suite and Swing” concert will include the orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic the Nutcracker Suite, with special guests the Depot Town Big Band joining the YSO to perform Duke Ellington’s swing arrangement of the Nutcracker Suite. There will of course be a festive selection of familiar holiday favorites—not to mention a visit from Santa!

The orchestra will also hold its third annual Holiday Silent Auction featuring a variety a goods and services from local businesses during the concert, just in time for holiday shopping. The auction begins at 2:30 p.m., with the concert beginning at 3:30 p.m. Auction items can be viewed online one week prior to the event.

“The YSO is excited to celebrate the holiday season with our audience and musical guests,” said Music Director Adam C. Riccinto. “Audiences will have a great opportunity to enjoy Tchaikovsky’s beloved Nutcracker Suite played by the YSO, along with Duke Ellington’s fantastic jazz version of the same suite performed by the incomparable Depot Town Big Band. We can’t want to celebrate the season with great performances, holiday favorites, and our annual auction. Don’t miss this holiday extravaganza!”

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840- 1893) compiled his Suite from the ballet "The Nutcracker", commonly known as The Nutcracker Suite, in 1892. It was the only one of the composer’s three ballet suites to have been compiled and published during his lifetime. The suite, derived from Tchaikovsky’s two-act ballet, was an immediate success. A highlight is Tchaikovsky’s creative orchestration, which is replete with unusual tonalities, such as the celesta in the “Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy”—a novel new instrument that Tchaikovsky obtained after hearing it in Paris. The suite’s eight movements capture the colorful musical language of the ballet score.

Duke Ellington's (1899-1974) Nutcracker Suite is a 1960 jazz arrangement of Tchaikovsky's original ballet score, reimagining the classical melodies with big band instrumentation and a jazz sensibility. The work was arranged by Ellington, the American musician, composer, and bandleader, with his long-time collaborator Billy Strayhorn. The work is distinguished by swinging rhythms, solo improvisation, and new titles for Tchaikovsky’s original pieces, such as "Sugar Rum Cherry" for the "Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy.” The arrangement transforms the familiar classical work into a completely new, energetic composition that showcases the sound and virtuosity of the of the Ellington Orchestra.

Formed in 2011, the Depot Town Big Band is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) ensemble dedicated to celebrating and preserving the rich tradition of big band music. Our repertoire spans the swing era of the 1930s–1950s, featuring classics from The Great American Songbook and the likes of Glenn Miller, while also embracing contemporary composers and inventive re-imaginings of older songs and even video game themes. Our members come from all walks of life — teachers, engineers, doctors, scientists, IT professionals, and retirees — united by a shared love of jazz. We are proud to collaborate with local partners including the Paul Keller Orchestra, PRISM Men’s Chorus, Dexter Symphony Band, Ann Arbor Civic Band, and the EMU Jazz Program. Beyond the concert hall, we share music with audiences across the community, from cultural festivals to senior living communities and neighborhood resource centers.

Ben Kessler has been the musical director of the Depot Town Big Band since 2015. He holds degrees in music education and trombone performance (jazz emphasis) from Lawrence University. Ben has been a private music instructor for 30+ years, and teaches a full studio of trombone, euphonium, tuba, trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, piano, and composition students. In addition, Ben teaches private lessons at Emerson School, and is the instrumental music instructor at Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor, where he also runs the Klez Kids band. In addition to playing in the Depot Town Big Band (and Depot Town Small Band), Ben is the principal trombone in the Dexter Community Band, and performs with several other local groups. He even played with the Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra for several years. In addition to teaching and performing, Ben is an award-winning composer, having won several Isadora Duncan awards for music he composed.

The Depot Town Big Band is thrilled to join the Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra in a unique pairing of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite with Duke Ellington’s iconic jazz interpretation — a celebration of timeless tradition reimagined through the swing era’s vibrant sound.

Get tickets for the YSO Holiday Extravaganza Concert to be held on December 14, 2024 at 3:30 pm at the Lincoln Performing Arts Center, Lincoln High School, Ypsilanti, at a2tix or at the door. Tickets are $13 for adults and children over 10, $6 for seniors, $7 for students, and $30/ per family. Children 10 and under are free. For more concert information visit www.ypsilantisymphony.org.

The 3rd Annual YSO Holiday Silent Auction will begin with online viewing and bidding starting Sunday, December 7th, and in-person viewing and bidding available an hour before the concert and during intermission on December 15th. Auction proceeds support the YSO in continuing to offer outstanding and accessible musical experiences for concert goers of all ages. For information on registering for the auction, bidding, and other details, see the YSO website or Facebook page. Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors: Bank of Ann Arbor, Dennis Green Recordings, Dykema, Faber Piano Institute, in2being, Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts, Dan and Linda Wagner, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, Ypsilanti Performance Space, Zingerman's Community of Businesses and our Business Sponsors: Ann Arbor Smiles, The Bundesen Team, Easthaven Animal Hospital, Huron Pet Supply, Inside Out Concierge LLC, Meadow Montessori School, The Pho House, Satchell’s BBQ, and Sidetracks, Inc. A special thank you to The Thomas P. McAndrew Foundation Donation In Memory of Martha Peet McAndrew. We are also grateful for our 3rd Annual Fundraising Auction Sponsors: Karen Attaway, Joshua Cohen, Helen Clark. Please visit our website sponsor page to view an ever growing list of 100+ In-Kind Auction Sponsors: https://ypsilantisymphony.org/our-sponsors/ About the Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra

The Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra (YSO) is proud of its unique and significant cultural contribution to the Ypsilanti area. The YSO’s mission is “to share our passion for music through innovative programming, creative collaboration, and arts advocacy,” and to “actively contribute to the music appreciation and education of our musicians, organizational members and audience.” Led by Founder and Music Director Adam C. Riccinto, the Symphony marks its 27th anniversary with the 2025-26 season. More information about the Ypsilanti Symphony Orchestra can be found at www.ypsilantisymphony.org, on Instagram @ypsilantisymphony, on our YouTube channel, and on Facebook.

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