Nadja Rose Catherine Salerno-Sonnenberg (born Rome, Italy, 10th. January, 1… Read Full Bio ↴Nadja Rose Catherine Salerno-Sonnenberg (born Rome, Italy, 10th. January, 1961) is an Italian born classical violinist, author and teacher. She is now a United States citizen.

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg immigrated with her family to the United States when she was 8 years of age, relocating to Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and later with Dorothy DeLay at the Julliard School of Music. In 1981 she became the youngest ever prize winner in the Walter W. Naumburg International Violin Competition. She has been honoured with an Avery Fisher Career Grant (1983) and in 1999 she received the Avery Fisher prize for 'outstanding achievement and excellence in music'.

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg was a frequent guest on NBC's The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and has also been featured on the CBS News 60 Minutes news programme. She has also appeared on the sitcom Dharma & Greg.

She has released many recordings on the Angel/EMI Classics, Nonesuch and NSS Music labels. She has performed with orchestras around the world and played at the White House. She has also performed with such popular artists as Mandy Patinkin, Joe Jackson and Mark O'Connor. She has frequently collaborated with the pianist Anne-Marie McDermott.

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg is the subject of Paola di Florio's documentary, Speaking in Strings, released by Docurama.

She has recently been named the music director of the New Century Chamber Orchestra starting in the Autumn of 2008.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on, our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yuletide gay
From now on, our troubles will be miles away
Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore

Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more
Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
So hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on, our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yuletide gay

From now on, our troubles will be miles away
Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more
Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow

So hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg's song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" paint a picture of an idyllic holiday season, where the troubles of the year are forgotten and happiness is all around. The song encourages listeners to let their hearts be light and to embrace the joy of the Yuletide season. The first verse promises that the troubles of the present will soon be behind us, while the second verse reminds us of the traditions and friends that make the holiday season so special.

The third verse speaks to the future, promising that if fate allows, we will all be together in the years to come. The closing line of the song urges us to hang a shining star upon the highest bough, a symbol of hope and optimism for the future. Overall, the lyrics of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" encourage us to embrace the spirit of the season and to look forward to a brighter future.

Line by Line Meaning

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
May you have a joyous celebration of Christmas

Let your heart be light
Allow yourself to feel happy and carefree

From now on, our troubles will be out of sight
Let's forget our worries and enjoy the holiday season

Make the Yuletide gay
Make the holiday season bright and cheerful

Here we are as in olden days
We are together just like in the past

Happy golden days of yore
Memories of happy and joyful times in the past

Faithful friends who are dear to us
Friends who are important to us and we cherish

Gather near to us once more
Come together and be close to us again

Through the years we all will be together
Even though time passes, we will all still be connected

If the fates allow
Assuming everything goes well and we are able to be together

So hang a shining star upon the highest bough
Decorate with a bright and beautiful star at the top of the tree