Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra brings pops concert to New Castle

Staff report

PITTSBURGH

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will open a series of three concerts in New Castle, Pa., with “Holiday Pops” next Thursday at the Scottish Rite Cathedral.

Conductor Todd Ellison will lead the PSO in classic carols, such as “Joy to the World,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Silent Night,” along with other seasonal favorites, including “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music,” “All I Want for Christmas” and “A ‘Spike Jones’ Jingle Bells,” played by the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass.

Principal trumpet George Vosburgh will solo on the well-known “The Christmas Song.”

Also on stage will be vocalist Christopher Sanders, as well as Beaver Falls native Vanessa Campagna and Allegheny County Detective Ricky Manning. And there also might be a visit from Santa to bring more surprises.

At 10 years old, Campagna was chosen out of 24,000 youngsters to appear on CBS’ “Star Search.” Since then, she has shared the stage with some of the greatest artists in the music industry, such as Reba McEntire, Sugarland, Trace Adkins, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Loretta Lynn, Keith Urban and more.

Campagna’s first two recordings were titled “Vanessa Campagna” and “Can You Hear Me Now.” For her third CD, “For You,” Campagna wrote all but one of the songs and co-produced the album.

Just in time for the 2013 holiday season, Campagna has released her second full-length Christmas album, titled “Simply Christmas.”

Campagna’s versatility enabled her to land the soulful theme song for the television show “Bar Karma,” which aired on Current TV.

In early 2012, she collaborated with producer/songwriter Rick Witkowski and Keegan Dewitt on the music and lyrics for a short film project named “Inocente,” which told a story about a young artist’s determination to never surrender to the bleakness of her surroundings. This documentary, which aired on MTV and was shown at film festivals across the country, was awarded a 2013 Oscar for best Documentary Short.

At next Thursday’s concert at Scottish Rite Cathedral, she will sing “We Need a Little Christmas” with Manning, “My Favorite Things,” “All I Want for Christmas,” “Christmas Morning” and “O Holy Night.”

Hailed by The New York Times as one of “Broadway’s electric conductors,” Ellison is one of the most accomplished and sought-after music directors working today. Currently music director and conductor of the new Broadway production of “Annie,” his credits include “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” “La Cage aux Folles,” “42nd Street,” Elton John’s “Lestat,” “Once Upon a Mattress” (starring Sarah Jessica Parker), “How to Succeed” (starring Matthew Broderick) and “She Loves Me.”

Other concerts in the Pittsburgh Symphony’s Scottish Rite Cathedral series are “Love is in the Air” on Feb. 15 and “Mozart Extravaganza” on April 28. Subscriptions to all three concerts range in price from $33 to $150 and can be purchased by calling the Heinz Hall box office at 800-743-8560 or visiting pittsburghsymphony.org/SRC.