About the program
Join Mr. Scrooge and NDSO as we tell the timeless tale of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Local voice-over actor Jason Dempsey will narrate the tale, accompanied by familiar carols and original music. American and English holiday favorites round out the program to put you in the festive spirit.
Program subject to change.
A Christmas Carol (Main Title) |
Alan Silvestri |
Fantasia on Greensleeves |
Ralph Vaughan Williams |
An English Christmas Coventry Carol Christmas Is Coming God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen The Holly and the Ivy Here We Come A Wassailing Hark the Herald Angels Sing In the Bleak Midwinter |
W. Mark Harrell (arr.) |
Sinfonietta 'A Christmas Carol' Jason Dempsey, Narrator |
Lawrence Killian |
Miracle on 34th Street Overture |
Bruce Broughton (arr. Johnnie Vinson) |
American Christmas Folk Suite Rise Up Shepherd and Follow Brightest and the Best Go Tell It On the Mountain |
Bill Holcombe (arr.) |
A Cornucopia of Carols |
Christopher Hardin (arr.) |
Jingle Bells Forever Kiddie conductors are invited to come to stage to conduct the orchestra |
Robert W. Smith (arr.) |
Christmas Favorites It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas Silver Bells The Christmas Song |
Bruce Chase (arr.) |
A Christmas Festival (Audience Sing-along) Joy to the World Deck the Halls God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Good King Wenceslas Hark the Herald Angels Silent Night Jingle Bells O Come All Ye Faithful |
Leroy Anderson (arr.) |
Guest narrator - Jason Dempsey
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Jason’s deep velvet timbre brings gravitas to weighty material, an unfeigned child-like mirth to the humorous, and a comforting and soothing lilt to children’s stories and spiritual matter alike.
Jason is a beloved, long-term educator, who first entered the world of narration by recording books for his print-challenged students. His love for the voice-over craft stemmed from the genuine joy it sparked through the discovery of a natural latent talent. He enjoys fantasy, Sci-Fi, YA literature, Noir who-Dunnits, the occasional Romance, 19th century classics- as well as a plethora of non-fiction material. His scientific and philosophical background lends integrity to complex topics. Jason’s quest for learning has led to a degree in Environmental Control and Hazardous Waste Management, a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, with a minor in Arts Administration, and a Master of Arts in Education, majoring in English Language Arts. In his spare time Jason enjoys summertime motorcycle rides through his Rip-Van -Winkle Catskills, kayaking, hiking, wood chopping and star gazing. Cold winter mornings will find him near a wood stove, with a strong cup of coffee and a volume of Dickens, a cat snoozing on his lap. His Bulgarian wife is remarkably patient with them all. Well … mostly. Learn More |
Guest Conductor- William Stevens
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William Stevens is an active performer and conductor throughout the Hudson Valley. He is one of the band and jazz band directors at Union Vale Middle School in the Arlington Central School District in LaGrangeville, NY. William’s professional conducting experience includes numerous musical productions with the Admiral Players; principal conductor of the Hudson Valley Saxophone Orchestra; and guest conductor for the Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra (NDSO) since 2014.
With NDSO he led the New York State premiere of the Scott Routenberg Concerto for Jazz Violin and Orchestra. He was also chosen as a conducting finalist for the Woodstock Symphony Orchestra (WSO) in 2017 and in 2022 and was reviewed by Leslie Gerber of Hudson Valley One: “I have never heard the WSO sound as good as it did during this concert... Those of us who were in the audience were lucky to be there.” William has been sought after as an All-County conductor and has led groups in Broome, Dutchess, Montgomery, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and Tioga counties. He is currently the principal clarinetist for the Northern Dutchess Symphony and the Greater Newburgh Symphony orchestras, and has performed in Europe and at Carnegie Hall with the New York Wind Symphony. William received his Bachelor of Music Education and Performance degree from SUNY Fredonia, and his Master’s degree in Clarinet Performance from Ithaca college. He has studied conducting with Dr. Russel C. Mikkelson (former Director of Bands, SUNY Fredonia), Dr. Paula Holcomb (Director of Bands, SUNY Fredonia), Dr. David Rudge (former Director of Orchestras, SUNY Fredonia), Dr. Steve Petersen (former Director of Bands, Ithaca College); and has participated in conducting master classes with Craig Kirkoff (former Director of Bands, University of Minnesota), Dr. Soo Han (Director of Orchestral Studies, George Mason University), Darren Lin (Associate Director, President’s Own Marine Band), Karen Ni Bhroin and Tim Redmond (founders of And Other Duties - Rising Stars), and Marin Alsop (internationally renowned conductor). William lives in Poughkeepsie, NY with his supportive husband Chris and their lovable pug Henry. Learn More |
