The Washington Chorus Goes Virtual With Annual Christmas Concert

For the first time in its 60-year history, The Washington Chorus (TWC) will present its annual holiday concert "A Candlelight Christmas" as a virtual event. Recorded without an audience at the Music Center at Strathmore and streamed from December 18-20 via Vimeo through the TicketSpice platform. Tickets are $15 and are on sale here.

In addition to the streamed "A Candlelight Christmas" concert, The Washington Chorus is offering "Carols on Demand," a program that includes a personalized video message and carol performance from a Chorus member. Details are available at The Washington Chorus' website.

The Chorus has re-imagined their annual holiday concert as a socially distanced chamber chorus concert. TWC Artistic Director Eugene Rogers and members of The Washington Chorus have created a beautifully intimate and unique Christmas concert with carols, extraordinary musical moments, and of course a holiday carol sing-along.

Adding to the festivities are virtual performances featuring TWC singers from around the world, as well as surprise guests and the Duke Ellington School for the Arts chorus led by Dr. Monique Holmes-Spells.

'We are excited to produce this intimate, online version that we know will still touch people's hearts and provide comfort and joy in the holiday season." says TWC Artistic Director Eugene Rogers. "For some it simply isn't the holidays until they can enjoy their annual traditions so it was important to us that we found a way to present our annual holiday celebration to our regular audience while also making it possible to welcome people who may not have joined us before."

The program includes popular carols including Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night and Once in Royal David's City along with holiday favorites and new works commissioned by The Washington Chorus from composer J. David Moore, founder and music director of the 'First Readings Project' chamber choir. The artistic team includes organist Paul Byssainthe Jr, Conductor, Dr. Monique Holmes-Spells and soprano Nicole Joseph.

Because of the recent surge in COVID infections in the DMV and the tightening of restrictions to capacity gatherings in public spaces like concert halls, TWC had to re-imagine this concert with an even smaller number of musicians and fewer staff on hand than originally planned. Filmed over two days with a skeletal crew of 5 people, over 120 singers recorded, and about ten participated in person at the Music Center. To ensure optimum safety TWC's singer health and safety advisory group, comprised of public health experts and physicians, advised on the practices, measures, and precautions that the organization and singers and collaborators should take to reduce exposure and minimize the likelihood of any infections.