6abc Loves the Arts: Philly Pops Christmas

Christmas is less than a month away, and for many families, celebrating Christmas with The Philly Pops is a treasured annual tradition.

This year, Music Director, Michael Krajewski says the musicians will be joined by 3 choirs and a famous jazz singer; that's 300 performers taking the stage for this year's festive concert, "Conducting the Christmas show is one of my favorite things," says Krajewski, "it's, I think, the ideal way to get into the true spirit of Christmas."

And, he promises, they'll be performing songs that audiences know and love, "We'll hear, you know, some traditional Christmas carols like "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Joy to the World". We'll hear popular songs like "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Jingle Bells" and everything between."

Familiar songs but with the Pops special touch, "that brings new meaning and puts new spirit into these songs," says Krajewski.

This year, they'll be joined by popular jazz singer and pianist Tony DeSare.

"Tony is a wonderful singer, a great personality on stage," says Krajewski.

The Philly Pops will also be joined by the 150-voice Philly Pops Festival Chorus, The Philadelphia Boys Choir and the St. Thomas Gospel Choir from Philadelphia's African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas.

And it wouldn't be a Pops Christmas without the annual audience sing-along, "Thousands of people in the hall all joyfully singing their favorite Christmas songs, it's just a wonderful coming together," says Krajewski, "to people who maybe have never heard The Philly Pops before, this Christmas program is the perfect introduction."

A Philly Pops Christmas runs December 3-18 at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall.

For tickets, go to www.TheArtsinPhilly.org.