Rapid City, S.D. – Those in the Black Hills arts community may recognize him from a range of events. Whether he’s leading a jazz trio at your favorite wine bar or orchestrating Rapid City’s first-ever downtown Jazz Crawl, one thing’s for sure: musician and community advocate Alex Massa refuses to stay still. This much is true especially as we head into the busy Holiday season.
Alex Massa, in collaboration with the Rapid City Arts Center and local artists, will once again direct and put on “A Holiday Collage.” Guest vocalists this year are Adante Carter and Leslie Hopton. Ryan Puffer will emcee the event. Danny Thornburg, Musical Director and Arranger, and Massa himself as Artistic Director and Producer have chosen and arranged this year’s music. The program will also feature the South Dakota Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Thornburg.
As Massa states, “this event is more than ‘just another holiday show that someone is putting on.’ This event is a tribute to my family, to the joy that they worked to create, to our community that works so hard for their people. Equally, it is a tribute to the great compositions that came about because of the holiday season – be they secular or sacred.”
Those that attend can expect a full-scale production complete with elaborate stage design, professional lighting, and holiday music that runs the gamut from traditional to contemporary. In regard to getting “A Holiday Collage” performance-ready, Massa notes, “This show is a 12-month process from start to finish, and I am thrilled to once again gather with the good folks here in the hills to present ‘A Holiday Collage’.”
“A Holiday Collage” will have two performance times, 1:00pm and 6:00pm, as a response to growing demand. Early-bird pricing is available through Saturday, October 31st. Students with a valid ID may purchase tickets day-of for a reduced price at will-call. For tickets and more information about “A Holiday Collage,” please visit the event page.
