The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: Start the holiday season with the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s FREE Community Carol Sing, with organ, on Monday night

By Jacob Stockinger

‘Tis the season—for singing together in groups!

The Madison Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will host a FREE Carol Sing in Overture Hall of the Overture Center, 201 State Street, on this coming Monday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m.

All ages are welcome.

No tickets or reservations are needed for the free Carol Sing, which will last approximately 45 minutes.

MSO Principal Organist and Curator Greg Zelek will lead the Carol Sing with the Overture Concert Organ (below).

Familiar carols will be sung, and solo organ works will include the Carol Rhapsody (heard in the YouTube video at the bottom) by Richard Purvis and an arrangement of “Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella.”

Greg Zelek (below) is the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s own principal organist and Curator of the Overture Concert Organ and Series. Zelek has been praised as one of the most exciting young organists in the American organ scene. He has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, the New World Symphony, and in Carnegie Hall with the Metropolitan Opera orchestra.

Zelek directs the programming for the instrument. In addition to the Free Farmers’ Market Organ Concerts, the instrument is featured in the annual MSO Christmas concert, along with several Free Community Hymn Sings and a Christmas Carol Sing.

See details for all organ performances at www.madisonsymphony.org/organperformances.

Support for all Overture Concert Organ programs is provided by the Diane Endres Ballweg Fund.

The MSO’s Free Community Carol and Hymn Sings are presented in partnership with the Overture Center for the Arts.