Chagrin Valley Little Theatre

Holiday Concert Chagrin Falls Studio Orchestra

Performance Dates & Tickets

About the Event

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Come and sing with us!

Due to popular demand, conductor Stephen A. Eva and the Chagrin Falls Studio Orchestra will performs two shows of its Christmas Wassail Concert! The Concerts--which have become an annual Chagrin tradition--are family-friendly and presented in the spirit of traditional holiday caroling. As the 45-piece Studio Orchestra performs, the audience is encouraged to “wassail” along to beloved Christmas carols including Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, Silver Bells, Frosty the Snowman, We Need a Little Christmas, and Jingle Bells. Children in particular will delight in a special visit from Santa Claus during the concerts.

In celebration of our troops--many of whom cannot be home for the holidays--the concerts will include a video tribute honoring their service and containing special greetings from the soldiers to their families who reside in the Chagrin area. Bill Corcoran, renowned music arranger, has scribed a custom-arranged version of I’ll Be Home for Christmas that will be played by the Studio Orchestra as the video tribute is shared with audiences.

A featured performance by renowned opera star Scott Skiba will include Caccini’s Ave Maria and a studio arrangement of O Holy Night. Talented local singers Debby Young, Ryann Angelotti, Bridget Davis, and Laura Hengle will lend vocals to other popular holiday fare.

“We are thrilled that our Christmas Concert is so popular that we can now fill the theatre for two high-energy performances,” notes Studio Orchestra conductor Stephen Eva. “And, it is our honor and pleasure to bring messages from the troops to their families during the holidays.”

The Christmas Wassail Concerts are co-presented by the Studio Orchestra and Chagrin Valley Little Theater and sponsored by Hamlet Retirement Village.

About the Studio Orchestra

The Chagrin Falls Studio Orchestra is volunteer-driven, nonprofit musical endeavor that brings studio arrangements, as well as the classics that inspired them, to stages in the Chagrin Valley community.

The Studio Orchestra is the only known orchestra in the region with a particular focus on studio arrangements. Written as film scores and rarely played live, studio arrangements represent some of the most dynamic, high-energy music of our time, by some of the most respected composers.

The Studio Orchestra affords its musicians the privilege and honor to play these original works—and its audience members the rare opportunity to hear them played live. With guest musicians and vocalists as well as multimedia presentation, the performance experience is more than just a concert—it represents a new vision in musical entertainment.

About the Conductor

Stephen A. Eva is a native Clevelander from a musical family and graduate of Shaker Heights High. Mr. Eva, an accomplished trumpet player in his youth, attended The National Music Camp at Interlochen where he sustained injury to his lip from overplaying. His attention quickly turned to his true love, conducting, and he became the first student conductor ever at Shaker High School. Mr. Eva graduated from Grove City College with degrees in Economics and Philosophy where he organized and directed the first Jazz Ensemble.

For the past 23 years, Mr. Eva has been the conductor and driving force of the Hermit Club Symphony Orchestra (Cleveland's premier performing arts club.) Through the Hermit Club Orchestra, he has conducted numerous large-scale symphonic works, concertos, chamber music, musical theater, choral and pops concerts.

Mr. Eva is well known in Chagrin as the Musical Director of the Chagrin Light Orchestra for the past two seasons where he introduced fun, innovative programming to the Community. PMr. Eva is self-employed as an industrial equipment systems integrator. He lives with his wife Marilyn in neighboring Auburn Township and is a dedicated father of 5 children.