Highlights include the annual South Coast Plaza Tree Lighting and the Visual Arts Conservatory’s annual holiday-themed Winter Market
Students within Orange County School of the Arts’ (OCSA) 15 arts conservatory programs celebrate the joy of the holidays with a variety of winter concerts and fun holiday events. From now through the end of December, students will sing, dance, perform music and showcase artwork with a tie-in to the most wonderful time of year. Performances and special events include:
South Coast Plaza Tree Lighting: This annual OCSA tradition features fun and exciting holiday-themed performances by OCSA’s celebrated performance ambassadors, MONTAGE!, as well as OCSA’s holiday caroling group, OCSA Unplugged. This cheery and festive show features gingerbread characters, Santa, reindeer and more. The South Coast Plaza Tree Lighting will be held Thursday, Nov. 15, at 6:30 p.m. at South Coast Plaza, Town Center Park, 3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
Visual Arts Winter Market: Visual Arts Conservatory students, alumni and staff vendors sell a variety of hand-crafted items including candles, home and garden decor, calendars, hand-painted and printed T-shirts, and more. This is the conservatory’s largest fundraising event and also acts as an excellent learning experience for the student artists who participate. Visual Arts Conservatory alumna Caroline Fleet leads students in sourcing, developing and merchandising products to help them better understand how to promote and make sales at the event. The Visual Arts Winter Market takes place Thursday, Nov. 29, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on OCSA’s campus at the Dance, Music and Science Center, 906 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92701 in rooms 102, 103 and 119.
Balboa Bay Resort Tree Lighting: OCSA’s celebrated performance ambassadors MONTAGE! perform at the Balboa Bay Resort’s annual tree lighting ceremony, dazzling guests with festive song, dance, and music. The show takes place near the Balboa Bay Club’s Christmas tree, with a stunning view of Newport Harbor. The ceremony will be held Sunday, Dec. 2, at 5 p.m. at the Balboa Bay Resort, 1221 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach, CA 92663.
HoliDAZE: The Musical Theatre Conservatory’s holiday concert features performances by students in all grades. The first act is performed by the conservatory’s a cappella caroling group OCSA Unplugged. The second act features seventh and eighth-grade Musical Theatre students in a holiday music review. HoliDAZE will be held on Thursday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. on OCSA’s campus at the Dance, Music and Science Center, 906 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92701.
Comfort and Joy: Classical Voice Conservatory Choral Ensembles sing holiday classics that are certain to give the audience the warmth of the festive season. Traditional carols, a broad range of vocal solos, as well as barbershop and holiday-inspired jazz selections, highlight the concert, which proves to be the conservatory’s most popular offering each year. The students will perform on Friday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. at Newsong Church, 1010 W. 17th St., Santa Ana, CA 92706.
Tickets for OCSA performances can be purchased online at www.ocsarts.net/boxoffice.
About Orange County School of the Arts:
The nationally recognized Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) provides unparalleled art and academic education in a creative, challenging and nurturing environment to a diverse student body passionate about the arts, preparing them to reach their highest potential. Founded in 1987 and still led by visionary educator Ralph Opacic, Ed.D., OCSA currently serves nearly 2,200 gifted students in grades seven through 12 from more than 100 cities throughout California. In addition to a college-preparatory academic program, OCSA offers pre-professional arts training in 15 conservatories within the schools of applied arts, dance, fine & media arts, music, and theatre. The nonprofit public charter school relies solely on private donations, totaling $8.5 million annually, to fund the pre-professional arts training programs. For additional information, visit www.ocsarts.net.
Photo Credit: OCSA
Janelle Kruly
Director of Public Relations & Communications
