ATOS Atlanta's Christmas Celebration featuring live theatre organ performances at Stephenson High School

The Atlanta Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS Atlanta) will be hosting their annual Christmas celebration on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 2:30 p.m. at Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Ga. This special event is free to attend and open to the public. The concert provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience classic songs performed on a traditional theatre pipe organ, of which there are only a few remaining in the United States and just a handful in the state of Georgia. 

Ken Double, a theatre organist who regularly plays on the Mighty Mo at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, will lead the program on Stephenson’s Grande Page theatre organ. Fellow ATOS Atlanta members Larry Davis, Jay Mitchell, and Ron Carter will also perform on the organ. Holiday songs performed will include “Winter Wonderland”, “The First Noel”, “We Need a Little Christmas”, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”, and many more favorites.

Theatre organs became popular during the 1920s at the height of the silent film era and were designed to replicate the sound of a full orchestra on one instrument. The Grande Page organ can emulate the orchestral sounds of instruments including violins, flutes, trumpets, clarinets, tambourines, cymbals, and even sleigh bells, allowing for a fully immersive holiday performance from just one performer.

The American Theatre Organ Society was founded in 1955 to promote preservation, awareness, and celebration of these unique instruments. Visit https://www.atosatlanta.org/ for more information about ATOS's Atlanta chapter.