(credit: Thinkstock)

The arrival of the holidays in Cleveland signals the start of all sorts of seasonal activities and events. Some are time-honored traditions, others emerge for the first time this year, but all provide the opportunity to be involved in something special. While caroling door to door may be less common these days, the holiday season still is a time filled with music and celebration. Check out these holiday concerts and foster your own tradition with a night of music in Cleveland.

Once again, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra returns to Cleveland for its spectacular holiday performance. This group will challenge everything you normally associate with the word orchestra while simultaneously expanding your opinion of what is possible in the world of Rock and Roll. As it travels through Cleveland on its annual November-December Tour, it will present another experience that’s filled with sensory stimulation far beyond the simple notes of the song. If you have never experienced a rock opera, these performances are sure to leave an impression you won’t soon forget.

Related: Trans-Siberian Orchestra Announces Return To Cleveland, To Debut “The Lost Christmas Eve”

One of the not-so-hidden gems of Cleveland is the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra. Founded in 1918, the Cleveland Orchestra presents musical excellence in every performance. Its Christmas Concert series brings the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus on stage at Severance Hall to add the fullness of vocal artistry to the performance. If you are looking for an evening filled with traditional holiday music, nothing beats the Cleveland Orchestra Christmas Concert.

Mannheim Steamroller has become one of America’s favorite holiday traditions. Chip Davis brings an incredible show, ripe with multimedia effects, to Cleveland the week before Christmas. In the relatively smaller arena of the State Theatre, the music of Mannheim Steamroller promises to awe the audience with the beauty of a show fueled by the incredible score year after year.

The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra has heralded the wonder of jazz in both its historical and contemporary forms for almost 30 years. As Northeast Ohio’s premier voice of jazz, the CJO celebrates this American art form and aims at exposing more ears to the sounds of jazz. “A Not So Silent Night” will bring vocalist Evelyn Wright in to join the CJO in presenting jazzed up version of many of the holiday classics.

This matinee performance by the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra is aimed at pleasing the entire family. The concert will feature classics for children to sing along to and introduce them to the jazzy feel the CJO places on its favorites. Preceding the 75-minute interactive performance, there will be time for the children to acquaint themselves with the instruments being used in the performance through an “instrument petting zoo.” This event guarantees no one struggles to keep the kids sitting pretty during the performance.

Neil Zaza is a phenomenal instrumental guitarist who has the uncanny knack of fusing the traditional with the modern. Known for his technical accuracy and melodic mastery, Zaza brings his interactive holiday celebration to Cleveland this holiday season. One Silent Night presents traditional holiday classics fused with energetic rock and Zaza’s incredible original compositions. This performance promises an awakening from the inundation of traditional holiday music everyone … loves so much every year.

Related: 2012 Cleveland Holiday Theater Preview

Grammy-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz has been leading an energetic and inspiring holiday tour throughout the country for the past 15 years. This year’s stop in Cleveland will include his incredible saxophone joined on stage by Grammy-nominated pianist/composer David Benoit, “The Voice” winner Javier Colon, and the multifaceted musician Sheila E. Together they will perform seasonal favorites presented with modern arrangements full of vitality and life.