Dance with the SF Symphony at their New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball.

Whether you believe in Santa Claus or not, the holiday season is surely made more inviting by hearing and/or singing live music. Besides caroling with friends on chilly nights and foggy days around the City (or in your own cozy living room), there is a variety of warm and inviting concerts offered this year by the San Francisco Symphony.

For a perfect addition to your holiday traditions, try a new and special concert just days before Christmas (Dec. 22-24) titled ’Twas The Night, conducted by SF Symphony Chorus Director Ragnar Bohlin. Featuring timeless classics and sentimental holiday favorites, it’s a great opportunity to take time out from the season’s frenzied aspects for a special treat. Take a friend, family member or just indulge yourself. 

The array of talent includes leading soprano Lisa Vroman, organist Robert Huw Morgan, pianist Joan Cifarelli as well as members of both the SF Symphony brass section and SF Symphony Chorus in old-fashioned Christmas carols, well-known childhood Christmas songs and an audience sing-along. The program includes such favorites as “Good King Wenceslas,” “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman” and many more, plus sing-alongs of other traditional holiday songs such as “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “Deck the Halls.” Complimentary beverages will be served.

‘Twas the Night runs Dec 22-24 (Wednesday to Thursday 7:30pm; Friday 2pm) at Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco.

Tickets ($15 to $67; under 17 are half-price) call (415) 864-6000 or at sfsymphony.org.

Once Christmas is over, there’s still the New Year to celebrate. What better way to reinvent yourself than to ring in the New Year with the most elegant of celebrations, the SF Symphony’s New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball. They’ll supply the music, masks and bubbly, and you create your own lasting memories!

The evening begins with lobby entertainment, including the amazing Martini Brothers performing their swingin’ cocktail music. If you’re a fan of “Ol’ Blue Eyes,” you’ll think you died and went to heaven. The fun continues in a magical concert of polkas, waltzes, dances, and surprises from Johann Strauss, Fritz Kreisler and more with the SF Symphony, conductor and violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky, soprano Katie van Kooten and the period dancers of Dance Through Time. Then celebrate after the concert with nonstop music in the lobbies, complimentary sparkling wine, desserts, savories and La Marca prosecco. And at the stroke of midnight, there’s the traditional balloon drop! Sing along to Auld Lang Syne and/or dance the night away on the gorgeous stage at Davies Symphony Hall with the Peter Mintun Orchestra or head to the First Tier lobby to take in the band Tainted Love performing favorite 1980s dance hits. This promises to be a great party, done up as only the San Francisco Symphony can!

Check with the SF Symphony about special pre-concert dinner packages. There’s an elegant buffet supper with wine in the Wattis Room ($155) atDavies Symphony Hall with special surprises, party favors and live entertainment. Also includes complimentary parking (Performing Arts Garage) and sparkling wine and desserts at intermission. Or perhaps the three-course Italian dinner package with a glass of wine at SF’s Caffe Delle Stelle ($105), 395 Hayes Street with special party favors, complimentary parking (Performing Arts Garage) and sparkling wine and desserts at intermission. Some special hotel stays ($299) are also available.

SF Symphony’s NYE Masquerade Ball on Dec. 31 (Friday) at Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco. Tickets ($85-$195) call (415) 864-6000 or at sfsymphony.org.