Ask James Miller, Associate Principal Trombone, what makes brass instruments particularly well-suited to playing holiday music, and he’ll respond with a question of his own: “It’s obvious, isn’t it?” continuing, “Nothing beats the glorious and joyful sounds of a great brass ensemble.”

With that in mind, Miller and members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic brass section—alongside contributions from several percussion instruments and one 6,134-pipe organ—inaugurate the LA Phil’s musical Advent calendar, kicking off December with a festive program filled with traditional delights, modern favorites, a few curiosities, original organ interludes, and a very special guest narrator.

Since the Renaissance, forerunners of trumpets and horns often accompanied significant events such as religious services or royal processions, thanks to their portability and their volume. By the Baroque era, composers such as Bach and Handel incorporated their clarion calls into their scores, the most famous example being “The Trumpet Shall Sound” from Messiah.

The tradition of holiday brass chorales and ensembles took off nearly 150 years ago when the founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, formed a band with his three sons to attract potential audiences to the organization’s greater mission. Taking notes from military bands, these ensembles were particularly active in the lead-up to Christmas and helped generate a catalog of popular carols and church hymns arranged for brass. The mid-20th century saw a proliferation of brass ensembles such as the Chicago and New York Brass Quintets as well as Canadian Brass, all of which recorded holiday music and added many new arrangements to the existing literature.

Tonight’s concert continues that legacy, from works passed down through the centuries to former US Air Force Band member Tara Islas’ Ascent to the Summit (which was written in 2016 and won the Dallas Winds Fanfare Competition the same year) and established Hanukkah staples to music by familiar concert-hall composers. Miller adds, “We are also fortunate to have Weicheng Zhao, who will be featured on some of his own arrangements for solo organ,” tailor-made for this evening’s presentation.

The concert ends with perhaps the beginning of a tradition; LA Phil President & CEO Kim Noltemy joins the ensemble for Anthony DiLorenzo’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas (2008) for the second year in a row. This whimsical setting of the classic poem “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” wishes us all off with a “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” before a closing Noel.

—Amanda Angel