Christmas cracker for CBSO at Symphony Hall

The CBSO's traditional Festive Favourites will be hosted by TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh and feature conductor Simon Halsey, the CBSO Chorus, the CBSO Children's Chorus and CBSO Young Voices – in partnership with Birmingham Music Service.

A CBSO spokesman said: "The CBSO's traditional Christmas concerts are as much a part of a Birmingham Christmas as crowds in the Bullring and glühwein in Victoria Square."

Fans can look forward to massed choirs, seasonal music old and new, and lots of carols to sing.

The spokesman added that Alan Titchmarsh would share Yuletide stories and readings from his seasonal anthology Fill My Stocking.

The book was published in 2005 and is a collection of Christmas anecdotes, stories, poems and sketches from the television gardener, illustrated with his own watercolour vignettes. The book features a number of Titchmarsh's own, self-penned festive pieces and has proved popular in recent years. Tonight's concert will begin at 7.30pm, tomorrow's will start at the same time and Sunday's concerts will begin at 3pm with a second helping at 7.30pm.

Meanwhile, the Symphony Hall will also host an event called Jingle Bell Christmas tomorrow at 2.30pm. The London Concert Orchestra will be joined by well-known choir Capital Voices, conductor John Rigby and soloists Jacinta Whyte and Tim Howar.

The programme will feature an array of festive favourites, including Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Blue Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Baby, It's Cold Outside, Santa Baby, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Mary's Boy Child, Let it Snow, I Wish it Could Be Christmas Every Day and Merry Christmas Everyone.

By Andy Richardson