Holiday Pops Concerts
Employers Health Pops Series


Saturday, December 13th, 2025 | 7:30pm


Sunday, December 14th, 2025 | 3:00pm

Umstattd Hall | Zimmermann Symphony Center
2331 17th St. NW
Canton, OH 44708

DESCRIPTION

Due to unforeen circumstances, this concert will be conducted by Conducor Fellow, Alison Norris.

Ring in the season with Northeast Ohio’s favorite holiday tradition! The Canton Symphony Orchestra and the Canton Symphony Chorus return for TWO festive performances of Holiday Pops—a heartwarming celebration filled with seasonal classics, holiday favorites, and a few musical surprises along the way.

This year’s concerts are led by guest conductor and Canton native Samson Toe, whose energy and warmth bring new sparkle to this beloved annual event. With sing-alongs, symphonic showstoppers, and plenty of cheer, Holiday Pops is perfect for families, friends, and anyone looking to make the season bright.

🎄 Special Feature: The Grinch Comes to Canton!
This year’s program includes a rare treat—the full script and original music from the 1966 animated classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas. While the film itself will not be shown, audiences will experience the timeless story and iconic score brought to life by the orchestra and chorus in a magical live performance.

The sleigh bells will ring! Will you be listening?

TICKETS

Adults: $30 / $45 / $57
Children under 18: $5 off (must call)
All tickets are subject to a $3 processing fee.
Veterans, First Responders, Healthcare Workers, & Educators: 20% off
SNAP & Medicaid Recipients: 20% off
Groups of 10 or more: 20% off
Subscribers:  20% off
*Must call for discounts.

Box Office: 330-452-2094
boxoffice@cantonsymphony.org

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Alison Norris, Conductor

Dedicated to sharing the sense of awe latent within music and committed to engaging listeners with its contemporary relevance, Brooklyn-based conductor Alison Norris currently serves as the Conducting Fellow for the Canton Symphony—a position they won in 2024 and that has since been renewed and expanded for the 2025/26 season. Internationally, Norris has been invited as a guest conductor with the China International Philharmonic Orchestra in Beijing and conducted the Orchestre Métropolitain as a conducting finalist with Yannick Nézet-Séguin in Domaine Forget de Charlevoix. Recent festival engagements include Tanglewood’s Conducting Seminar, where they were invited to premiere a new work by Maya Miro Johnson, and the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music as a Conducting Associate.

Always seeking to foster musical fascination alongside human compassion, in 2024 Norris organized a multidisciplinary benefit concert project entitled “Divinity and the Cosmos: A Genderqueer Exploration of Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphonie”. They collaborated with five other transgender artists to create original films examining each movement of Messiaen’s preeminent work through a genderqueer lens: helping audiences navigate unfamiliar dissonances with the similarly enigmatic nature of trans joy. 

Norris’s conducting mentors include George Manahan, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Jim Ross, Cristian Măcelaru, and Oriol Sans. Alison holds a Professional Studies diploma from the Manhattan School of Music, a Masters of Music from UW-Madison, and a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Valparaiso University.

Featuring the Canton Symphony Chorus

The Canton Symphony Chorus has been a supplemental performance ensemble for several decades. Led by Doug Beery, this group is composed of members of the Canton community who come together and create something special. We are thrilled to once again feature them for our Holiday Pops concert!

Hotel Accomodations

The Canton Symphony Orchestra is a proud partner of Embassy Suites by Hilton at the Akron-Canton Airport, who have offered CSO patrons an exclusive rate to book rooms attending our concerts from out of town. To take advantage of this special offer, please click the link below or the image above. The rate is $135/night!
7883 Freedom Ave NW, North Canton, OH 44720 | (330) 305-0500

This concert is Supported By:

Presenting Sponsor

Co-Sponsor:

Participating Sponsor