Duke Ellington's
Jazz Arrangement

of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite

As the crispness of winter descends upon us here in Santa Fe, the storefronts and happenings of the season turn our minds to the holidays.  Farolitos, carols, biscochitos, sugarplums... and Duke Ellington.

Yes, that’s right, Duke Ellington – and his arranger and co-writer, Billy Strayhorn, of course, of “Take the A Train” and “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” fame. These figure- heads of the Big Band era brought the jazz movement into main- stream American culture.  And they were, of course, two of the most swingin’ cats to have graced our green earth.

You don’t associate Ellington and Strayhorn with the holidays?  Well, it’s about time that changed.  Concordia Santa Fe is bringing a new holiday classic to Santa Fe: the Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite.  Performed in tandem with chamber arrangements of the original Tchaikovsky movements, it’s sure to take the Santa Fe holiday season to a much hipper, cooler place.

Concordia Santa Fe's production of The Nutcracker (Swing!) includes the performance of Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn's Nutcracker Suite, for Jazz Band, an arrangement of P.I. Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. 

The Nutcracker (Swing!) also includes chamber music performances of the Tchaikovsky movements.

Featured artists are John Rangel, Jon Gagan and Cal Haines.

Tickets Now on Sale

Don't wait to buy your tickets

for this fabulous event!

These are special fund raising concerts
for the benefit of Concordia Santa Fe.

General Admission:  $35
Youth 18 yrs. old and under:  $20 (ID required)

TicketsSantaFe.org
505.988.1234

 On the Program

Ellington vs. Tchaikovsky

Nutcracker (Swing!) presents the Tchaikovsky movements with their Ellington/Strayhorn counterparts:

Dance of the Reed Pipes vs. Toot Toot Tootie Toot

March vs. Peanut Brittle Brigade

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy vs. Sugar Rum Cheery

Russian Dance vs. The Volga Vouty

Chinese Dance vs. Chinoserie

Waltz of the Flowers vs. Dance of the Floreadores

Arabian Dance vs. Arabesque Cookie

Also on the program are holiday favorites performed by jazz trio John Rangel, Jon Gagan and Cal Haines.