History of jazz the focus of ‘All Star Holidays’ at Helzberg Hall

The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra not only preserves the heritage of Kansas City jazz, It keeps it a living art form, as is vital to any genre of music. You can get a joyous blast of Kansas City’s hometown jazz orchestra when the group presents “All Star Holidays” Dec. 10 at Helzberg Hall.

Trumpeter Clint Ashlock has been leading the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra since 2013 and keeping it swinging. He’ll lead the 18-piece orchestra in a festive blend of big-band classics and new arrangements with an emphasis on guest artists.

“We’re drawing on the history of Kansas City jazz, which is really the jam session culture or sit-in culture, where it could be anybody’s gig on any given night at any given venue,” Ashlock said. “So we’re bringing three of the city’s most engaging musicians to the stage: vocalist Molly Hammer; trombonist Jason Goudeau, who sounds like a bolt of lightning looks; and Lonnie McFadden, one of the stalwarts of Kansas City performing arts scene.”

McFadden is a beloved local jazzer who is a trumpeter, singer and tap dancer. All of those skills will be used in “All Star Holidays.”

Ashlock says that his band respects the great jazz of the past, but more than half of every concert by the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is composed of new arrangements that have been written by members of the orchestra specifically for the band and its guest artists.

“Groups like Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in New York City, led by Wynton Marsalis, are kind of the template for what a concert jazz band does, which is perform music that is both historic and cutting edge,” Ashlock said. “We try to form programs that are engaging for both jazz fans, big band fans and music fans or people who are just interested in going out and listening to something engaging.”

7 p.m. Dec. 10. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. $32-$67. 816-994-7222 or www.kcjo.org.

Friends of Chamber Music: Tallis Scholars

The Tallis Scholars will make a biennial visit to Kansas City on Dec. 12 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Lucky for Kansas City, the world-class choir, directed by Peter Philips, usually makes its visit during the holiday season, bringing profoundly spiritual music as an antidote to Christmas consumerism.

This year’s concert, presented by the Friends of Chamber Music, will feature music of the Renaissance by composers like Thomas Tallis, Tomas Luis de Victoria,and William Byrd, but also works by 20th-century French composers Francis Poulenc and Olivier Messiaen.

7:30 p.m. Dec. 12. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 416 W. 12th St. $15-$35. 816-561-9999 or www.chambermusic.org.

Bach Aria Soloists

For warm fuzzies, you can’t do better than Bach Aria Soloists’ annual holiday concert. This year, the ensemble —

made up of violinist Elizabeth Suh Lane, harpsichordist Elisa Bickers, cellist Hannah Collins and soprano Sarah Tannehill Anderson —

will perform music by Bach, Handel and Mozart, as well as traditional carols, Dec. 14 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Tenor Kyle Stegall will add his voice to the uplifting program.

7:30 p.m. Dec. 14. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 11 E. 40th St. $17-$35. www.bachariasoloists.com.

Musica Vocale with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra — Magnificent Holidays

When Musica Vocale, conducted by Arnold Epley, joins forces with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Bruce Sorrell, you’re in for something good. This year, the two ensembles are performing Bach’s Magnificat Dec. 10 at Old Mission United Methodist Church. The program will also include baroque instrumental works that capture the spirit of the season.

7:30 p.m. Dec. 10. Old Mission United Methodist Church, 5519 State Park Road, Fairway, Kansas. $25-$35. 816-960-1324 or www.kcchamberorchestra.org.

Te Deum

We could all use a little “Peace and Joy” this holiday season, and Te Deum is happy to oblige. The choral ensemble, led by Matthew Shepard, will perform music that exemplifies those two qualities Dec. 8 at Our Lady of Sorrows and Dec. 9 at Village Presbyterian Church. In addition to well-loved classics, Te Deum will perform world premieres by local composers Ed Frazier Davis and Geoff Wilcken. Another interesting selection on the program is “Friede Auf Erden” (Peace on Earth) by Arnold Schoenberg.

7 p.m. Dec. 8 at Our Lady of Sorrows, 2552 Gillham Road. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Road, Prairie Village, Kansas. $15-$20. www.te-deum.org

Kansas City Chorale — A Ceremony of Carols

The Kansas City Chorale, conducted by Charles Bruffy, always offers a Christmas banquet of concerts, and this year is no exception. On Dec. 10, the Grammy-winning ensemble will perform Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and will repeat the performance on Dec. 13 at Rolling Hills Presbyterian. On Dec. 14, it’s the Chorale Family Christmas concert at St. Michael the Archangel. On Dec. 14, at the 1900 Building, the Chorale will present its ever-popular Holiday Pops!

A Ceremony of Carols: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 11 E. 40th St. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church, 9300 Nall Ave. Overland Park, and 2 p.m. Dec. 15 at Country Club United Methodist Church, 400 W. 57th St. $25-$3. 816-444-7150 or www.kcchorale.org. Chorale Family Christmas: 1 p.m. Dec. 14. St. Michael the Archangel, 14251 Nall, Leawood, $10-$30. 816-444-7150 or www.kcchorale.org. Holiday Pops!: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14, 1900 Building, 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Mission Woods, $25-$30. 816-444-7150 or www.kcchorale.org.

Messiah Sing-along

There’s something satisfying about doing things yourself, whether it’s baking your own bread, home brewing your own beer or singing your own “Messiah.” For many years, Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral has offered musical DIYers an opportunity to sing Handel’s glorious oratorio with the cathedral’s choir and the support of professional soloists. This year’s “Messiah” Sing-along, which takes place Dec. 14, will feature the period instrument Kansas City Baroque Consortium as a back-up band. You can purchase your own score at the concert.

4 p.m. Dec. 14. Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 W. 13th St. Free. For more information, visit www.kccathedral.org.

NAVO Chamber Orchestra, “Clara Schumann: The Virtuoso, The Muse and Her Legacy”

The NAVO Chamber Orchestra, conducted Shah Sadikov, is not going to let Clara Schumann’s bicentennial year go by without proper recognition. Known to many primarily as the wife of composer Robert Schumann, Clara was a dynamo in her own right. She championed the music of her husband and Brahms in her concerts, and her own compositions are of the highest quality and deserve to be much better known. Congratulations to NAVO for doing its part with “Clara Schumann: The Virtuoso, The Muse and Her Legacy” Dec. 14 at the Lied Center Pavilion in Lawrence.

7:30 p.m. Dec. 14. Lied Center Pavilion, 1600 Stewart Drive, Lawrence, Kansas. Free. For more information, visit www.navoarts.com.

You can reach Patrick Neas at patrickneas@kcartsbeat.com and follow his Facebook page, KC Arts Beat, at www.facebook.com/kcartsbeat.