Teresa Cheung, guest conductor
Kristin Lelm, vocalist, and Paul Langford, arranger and vocalist
Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 14, 2025 at 2:30 p.m.
Saenger Theatre
This concert, including intermission, is approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes.
Please review the venue’s security policies including the use of clear bags/purses only by clicking here.
Program
Christmas Overture: Jeff Tyzik
White Christmas: Leroy Anderson, arr. Paul Langford
Kristin Lelm & Paul Langford
Sleigh Ride: Leroy Anderson, arr. Paul Langford
Kristin Lelm & Paul Langford
Troika from Lieutenant Kije Suite: Sergei Prokofiev
Let it Snow: Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne, arr. Paul Langford
Kristin Lelm
The Man with the Bag: Taylor, arr. Paul Langford
Paul Langford
Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah: arr. Paul Langford
Little Jack Frost Get Lost: Seger Ellis, Al Stillman, arr. Paul Langford
Kristin Lelm & Paul Langford
Waltz of the Snowflakes: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
INTERMISSION
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: arr. Paul Langford
Angels We Have Heard on High: arr. Paul Langford
Kristin Lelm & Paul Langford
O Holy Night: Adolph Adam, arr. Paul Langford
Kristin Lelm
Silent Night: Franz Gruber, arr. Paul Langford
Kristin Lelm & Paul Langford
Stille Nacht: Franz Gruber, arr. Chip Davis and Calvin Custer
Grown Up Christmas List: David Foster, arr. Paul Langford
Kristin Lelm
Christmas Eve: arr. Todd Sheehan
Christmas Sing-along: arr. John Finnegan
Our Guest Conductor
Teresa Cheung
Teresa Cheung, has been a guest at our podium on several occasions, and she is in frequent demand for symphonic, choral, operatic and balletic productions throughout the United States, Canada and Hong Kong. Following an acclaimed 13-season tenure as Music Director of Pennsylvania’s Altoona Symphony Orchestra, she was appointed Resident Conductor of the Endless Mountain Music Festival.
Teresa Cheung’s recent engagements include her January, 2025 debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, while others have found her on the podia of the Amarillo, American, Bakersfield, Chappaqua, Mid-Texas, Mobile, New Amsterdam (NYC), Phoenix, Portland, Stamford, Venice and Western Michigan symphony orchestras, Evansville, Fort Wayne and Rochester philharmonic orchestras, Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra, Woodstock Chamber Orchestra, New York City Ballet, Brooklyn’s Regina Opera and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta. Additionally, she often appears as conductor for colleges and universities and with All State/All County orchestra festivals. She has also served as a conducting clinician for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ “Meet the Artist” program.
Widely known for her creative concert programming, collaborative projects and community outreach initiatives, Teresa Cheung is also a passionate advocate for music education for all ages. During her tenure in Altoona, she created numerous outreach programs that engaged area children and high school musicians and choristers, ballet companies and civic organizations.
Under her leadership, the ASO also performed with university instrumental and choral ensembles from Penn State University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Juniata College. Her vision of extending the Alltoona Symphony’s artistry and reputation beyond Central Pennsylvania led to the filming of Dvorák’s New World, an acclaimed joint-project with the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts’ Humanities on the Road program that was broadcast throughout Pennsylvania in December 2011. Another highlight of Ms. Cheung’s novel interdisciplinary projects was the North American premiere of F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu on Halloween 2017, reuniting the original symphonic score of Hans Erdmann with the silent film in Berndt Heller’s reconstruction.
Teresa Cheung began her career as Resident Conductor of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, where she was also conductor of the Evansville Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and Evansville Philharmonic Chorus. Among her many artistic initiatives, she led the Evansville Philharmonic Youth Orchestra on its first international concert tour to Japan in 2002. Subsequently, she served as Resident Conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Conductor for the Bard Music Festival and SummerScape.
A native of Hong Kong, Teresa Cheung received her master’s degree in conducting from the Eastman School of Music. She is also the recipient of the JoAnn Falletta Conducting Award for the most promising female conductors.
Our Soloists
Kristin Lelm, vocalist
Kristin Lelm, soprano, has been thrilling audiences for more than a decade. Lelm is a regular member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, and a former member of the Grant Park Chorus, Chicago Acappella and Lakeside Singers. Kristin has performed as a recitalist and soloist over the U.S. and internationally. She has been guest vocalist with the Bay Philharmonic in San Francisco, Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Peoria Municipal Band, multiple charity events such as Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ralph Lauren Gala for TCW Magazine Foundation, Northwestern Hospital Fundraiser, and fashion show fundraiser events for designers, Rayniah Gregory and Kirsten Regalado. Internationally, Mrs. Lelm has sung in Denmark with the Danish military brass band, Slesvigske Musikkorps, and the Queen’s Royal Guard Band: Den Kongelige Livgarde. Kristin has two albums out, “I Feel A Song Comin’ On!” and her Christmas album, “Oh, What Fun!”, both produced and orchestrated by Paul Langford. Future engagements include Kristin being a featured soloist alongside her duo partner, Paul Langford, this December with Pueblo Symphony Orchestra in Colorado, in addition to performing a duo show in January at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center in Kansas.
Paul Langford, arranger and vocalist
Born and raised in Hong Kong, now Chicago-based singer, composer, arranger, orchestrator, conductor, producer and keyboard player Paul Langford has been creating a more musical world for over 30 years. His published works (Hal Leonard, Shawnee Press, Walton Music, Oxford University Press, Alfred Music, Hal Leonard Publications) have been performed by the San Antonio, Calgary, West Michigan, Pensacola, North Charleston, Dubuque, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Cheyenne, Anderson (IN), Carmel (IN), Las Cruces symphonies (among others), Voices of Liberty (EPCOT), multiple Disney parks worldwide, and by choirs, jazz bands and other ensembles spanning the globe. Paul has been a vocal and piano guest artist in studio and live performance with headline and Grammy Award-winning artists David Foster, Yolanda Adams, Kenny Rogers, Heather Headley, Abraham Laboriel, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban and Celine Dion, and he’s been honored to perform for Presidents Bush and Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama. Paul is a regular guest music director and arranger for Chicago A Cappella, and as owner and creative director of Paul Langford Studios, a state-of the-art Chicagoland recording facility, Paul produces, engineers, composes, and plays for a variety of leading artists, corporate clients, and television/film projects. On the road, Paul is an in-demand music educator, guest conductor, respected band and vocal ensemble leader, and invited singer and pianist with orchestras and vocal groups across America and the globe.
From Guest Conductor Teresa Cheung
“I was thrilled when I received the invitation return to the Mobile Symphony for the 2025 Christmas concert. Mobile is such a heartwarming city, and I so enjoy working with the wonderful staff and musicians of MSO. To me, there’s simply no better way to celebrate the holiday season!
I would like to share a story about our guest artists this season: I first encountered Paul Langford’s arrangements firsthand when I was conducting another MSO holiday concert a few years ago. I was struck by how imaginative and colorful his arrangements are. After some inquiry, I found out that Paul is every bit as multifaceted himself as a vocalist and pianist as he is with his writing. It was then I decided we must find an opportunity collaborate.
Perhaps the one thing that struck me most is how Paul and I actually crossed paths decades ago in a place far away from Mobile. When I called Paul for the first time, he greeted me in Cantonese, which is the language I grew up with! Unbeknownst to me, Paul spent his formative years in Hong Kong just as I did! People often talk about the six degrees of separation in life. For us musicians, it often feels like the angle gets even smaller! In addition, I look forward to making music with Paul’s musical partner Kristin Lelm for the first time. I hope you will enjoy the music we bring to you during this magical time of the year!”
– Teresa Cheung