Newberry Consort Presents A MEXICAN CHRISTMAS

This December 6-8th, the Newberry Consort brings an updated version of their hit program A Mexican Christmas to three historic churches across Chicagoland. A heart-warming addition to your holiday season plans, A Mexican Christmas celebrates the exuberant and diverse musical traditions of Mexico. Featuring both an authentic Mexican folk band and vocalists and the ethereal voices of the Consort's all-woman choral and instrumental ensemble, this is a Christmas concert like nothing you've heard before! Tickets to these special, family-friendly performances are available for just $10-$25.

This unique program pairs musicians of EnsAmble Ad-Hoc, a group that specializes in Latin American and Spanish early music led by specialists Francy Acosta and Jose Luis Posada, with an all-woman ensemble of singers and instrumentalists led by Consort co-director Ellen Hargis. The two groups will perform irresistible, classic villancicos, (Mexican Christmas carols) and sacred polyphonic music from Mexico City convents. Alternating between these two festive kinds of music-making, audience members can imagine themselves in 17th-century Mexico City-while the plaintive singing of nuns wafts into the city's plaza, a band of villanciqueros (folk musicians) play the jubilant music of the Christmas season.

At these performances, musicians will sing in Latin and Spanish and play a huge variety of rarely-heard percussion, wind, and string instruments, including the bajón (Spanish baroque bassoon), leona (large guitar from Veracruz) and the quijada de burro (a percussion instrument made from a donkey's jawbone.)

At each concert, join in for a breaking of the piñata! The piñata is part of the traditions of Les Posadas, a festival celebrated during the nine days leading up to Christmas in South America and Mexico that marks the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. A Mexican Christmas will be a feast for the eyes and ears - we hope you'll join us!

Tickets: $10-$25

Friday, December 6th at 8:00 pm
Grace Lutheran Church
7300 Division St, River Forest, IL 60305

Saturday, December 7th at 7:00 pm
St. John Cantius Church
825 N Carpenter St, Chicago, IL 60642

Sunday, December 8th at 3:00 pm
First United Methodist Church, Evanston
516 Church St, Evanston, IL 60201