“Home for the Holidays” takes on a new meaning with the Glendale Pops Orchestra this season as it melds its unique orchestra with homegrown talent.

Matt Catingub, the artistic director/conductor, leads the world-class orchestra through traditional holiday songs. Enhancing the orchestra will be the Glendale Pops Youth Orchestra, 39 student singers from the Glendale area. Highlighting the evening will be another Glendale product, the sensational guest artist Danielle Sadd. The Glendale Youth Pops Orchestra is funded in part by the Kiwanis Club of Glendale and Glendale Rotary.

Ticket prices range from $25 to $75 and are available at the Alex Theatre, The Americana at Brand Grand Lobby Concierge Desk or the Glendale Community College Theatre box office. Tickets may also be purchased at the website, www.glendalearts.org.

Catingub leads the Glendale Pops. He arranges, conducts, plays sax and sings and engages his audience with warmth, humor and above all, great music. His palette of talents creates a unique experience for audiences as they hear a custom-made concert that they have never heard before and never will hear again.

The Glendale Pops Youth Chorus is a band of student-singers under the direction of Rosemont Middle School music director Rod Yonkers, chorus director, and Glendale Unified School District board member Joylene Wagner, chorus manager. This is their second year performing with the Glendale Pops Orchestra.

Sadd is the prototypical story of “Local Girl Makes Good.” Born in Glendale’s Verdugo Hills Hospital and a product of Glendale public schools, she made her way through the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and has been on the national tour of “Winnie the Pooh,” sung in cabaret groups, done stand-up comedy and performed a one-woman show, “Stumbling Along,” that played five sold-out performances in Hollywood. She is looking forward to her duet of “Let It Snow” with Catingub.

After last season’s successful debut of the Glendale Pops, which concluded with a memorable concert by Kenny Loggins, Catingub is back and thrilled about season number two.

Catingub is a marvelously talented and versatile musician and conductor with broad experience. Born to parents of Polynesian island descent, he is the son of the great jazz vocalist Mavis Rivers, affectionately known as “Polynesia’s First Lady of Song.” Catingub has conducted pops orchestras from Hawaii to Glendale to New Mexico to New Hampshire. He has conducted for Jack Jones, Toni Tenille, written music for and performed in the George Clooney movie “Good Night and Good Luck,” (winning a Grammy), and arranged and conducted for such notable performers as Diana Krall, James Ingram, The Righteous Brothers and Boz Scaggs.

Running time is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes with no intermission, and the performance is suitable for all ages. Photo/video recording by patrons is not allowed.

More information at www.alextheatre.org or www.glendalepops.org.

Additional performances in the GPO season include on Feb 9, 2013, Glendale Pops Goes County with Jo Dee Messina and season finale in May 2013.