Winter Tales – A Holiday Concert
Friday & Saturday, December 5 & 6 at 7:30 p.m.
At the Arkley Center for Performing Arts in downtown Eureka, 412 G St.
The Eureka Symphony invites the community to experience the warmth, wonder, and joy of the season at Winter Tales – A Holiday Concert, performed December 5 and 6, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Eureka. This concert is sponsored by Redwood Legacy Group at Morgan Stanley.
This year’s holiday program is a festive journey through beloved classics and vibrant contemporary works. The concert features Tchaikovsky’s timeless Nutcracker Suite, and Michael Isaacson’s lively and colorful Rhythm of the Lights – A Chanukah Fantasia, a radiant musical celebration of light and tradition.
A highlight of the evening will be Howard Blake’s The Snowman. Narration by local theater legend Michael Fields will add a heartfelt touch to the symphony’s performance of this cherished winter tale. Michael was a founding member and Producing Artistic Director of Dell’Arte International, and was a member of the Dell’Arte performing ensemble for 45 years. Read more about Michael below.
Special guest 10-year-old Michaela Band, from Cutten School, will sing “Walking in the Air” during The Snowman.
Leslie Keig, winner of the “Guest Conductor” auction package at the Eureka Symphony’s September Gala, will lead the Symphony in “Deck the Halls” and the audience is welcome to sing along. Lyrics are below and will be in the program.
Perfect for families and music lovers of all ages, Winter Tales promises an evening of enchantment, elegance, and festive spirit that captures the heart of Humboldt’s holiday season.
“Winter Tales is a delightful adventure for the whole family,” says Carol Jacobson, Conductor & Artistic Director, “bringing our community together through music that reminds us of the wonder and connection we all share this time of year.”
Program
Nutcracker Suite
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Miniature Overture
- March
- Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy
- Russian Dance
- Arabian Dance (coffee)
- Chinese Dance (tea)
- Dance of the Reed Flutes (Mirlitons)
- Waltz of the Flowers
Rhythm of the Lights – A Chanukah Fantasia
Michael Isaacson
“Deck the Halls” LYRICS
1
Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
fa la la la la, la la la.
‘Tis the season to be jolly,
fa la la la la, la la la.
Don we now our gay apparel,
fa la la la la, la la la.
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol,
fa la la la la, la la la.
2
See the blazing Yule before us,
fa la la la la, la la la.
Strike the harp and join the chorus,
fa la la la la, la la la.
Follow me in merry measure,
fa la la la la, la la la.
While I tell of Yuletide treasure,
fa la la la la, la la la.
3
Fast away the old year passes,
fa la la la la, la la la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,
fa la la la la, la la la.
Sing we joyous all together,
fa la la la la, la la la.
Heedless of the wind and weather,
fa la la la la, la la la.
INTERMISSION
The Snowman
Howard Blake
Michael Fields, narrator
Michaela Band, vocal soloist
Artists
Michael Fields
Narrator, The Snowman
Michael’s Bio
Michael was a founding member and Producing Artistic Director of Dell’Arte. He was a member of the Dell’Arte performing ensemble for 45 years. He has been a recipient of San Francisco and San Diego Critics Circle and Los Angeles Drama-Logue awards for Performance and Writing. He has co-authored, directed and performed in over 50 Dell’Arte productions, including Mad Love, Slapstick, Intrigue at Ah-pah, Whiteman Meet Bigfoot, Paradise Lost, Performance Anxiety, Malpractice, Mary Jane and Wild Card.
He recently started his own producing group called LONGSHADR PRODUCTIONS (www.longshadr.com). This group recently premiered a new work called MADSUMMER, which was a very free adaptation of MIDSUMMER, with all the lovers over 60, set in a nursing home during a pandemic. They also created the LOGGER BAR trilogy. Michael owns the Logger Bar in Blue Lake.
Michaela Band
Featured Soloist, “Walking in the Air”, The Snowman
Michaela’s Bio
Up-and-coming vocalist Michaela Band is thrilled to be making her big-stage debut with the Eureka Symphony. A fifth grader at Cutten Elementary, ten-year-old Michaela is an experienced performer with a sophisticated sense of musicality and a passion for the stage. This past spring, Michaela starred as JoJo in the Cutten Elementary school production of Seussical the Musical (kids edition). She also participates in the Humboldt Light Opera Company’s “KidCo” children’s theater program. A well-rounded musician, Michaela plays clarinet and piano, and has recently picked up guitar as well. She is also a seasoned aerial silks artist, and has performed jaw-dropping aerial silk routines at nearly a dozen local events over the past five years, including the North Country Fair, the Medieval Festival of Courage, and the Fairy Festival. When she’s not shining on stage, Michaela spends her free time crafting, animating her own comic strips, reading, playing with her pets, and practicing her mixed martial arts skills. Huge thank-you to Michaela’s voice coach and music teacher, Katri Pitts, as well as the Eureka Symphony, for granting her this exciting opportunity!
Concert Extras
A free pre-concert talk, Musical Notes, by concertmaster Terrie Baune and pianist John Chernoff, is also at the Arkley Center from 6:30-7:00 pm, and is a fun and informative way to learn about the music and the composers.
To learn more about the concert in advance, join host Elizabeth Morrison on Zoom, Monday, December 1, from 6:00-7:30 pm for a pre-concert talk sponsored by the Eureka Symphony. For details visit Live & Local Concert Preview, a Special Interest Group that is free to OLLI members.
Playbill: View or download our 2025-2026 Concert Playbill.
Shuttle
Concert attendees are encouraged to sign up for the Eureka Symphony’s new Shuttle Program, a safe and easy way to get to and from the concerts. Visit the “Get Involved” page or call (707) 845-3655 to get details. Sign up by November 26.
Ticket Info
Ticket prices range from $21-54, with tickets at the door, after 6 p.m., for just $15, or $10 with a student ID – the best available seats. Two children under 12 get in free with every adult ticket purchased. Ask about special rates for student groups.
- When: Friday December 5 and Saturday December 6, 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Arkley Center for Performing Arts in Eureka (412 G St.)
- Tickets: $21-$56 purchase online
- Email: EurekaSymphony@gmail.com
- Phone: (707) 845-3655
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
