Greetings!

Kent’s December concert lineup offers up rich feasts of musical fare for inspiration and celebration:

Join in the carols at St. John the Divine for “The Joy of Christmas”: Bach’s Magnificat and Handel’s Organ Concerto in B-flat, Christmas selections by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Emily Hazrati, and Alison Willis, as well as Christmas carols sung by all. | Saturday, December 13 at 4 PM *SOLD OUT*

“Classics for Christmas” with Musica Sacra at Carnegie Hall: Excerpts from Handel’s Messiah (including “Rejoice greatly” with the Metropolitan Opera star Kathryn Lewek, who also sings Adolph Adam’s Cantique de Noël) along with a Handel harp concerto (featuring Associate Harpist of the Metropolitan Opera Mariko Anraku), choral selections from Bach’s Mass in B Minor and Rachmaninoff’s Vespers, and choral and orchestral works by Corelli, Poulenc, Helena Paish, and Randall Thompson. | Wednesday, December 17 at 7:30 PM

Handel’s Messiah with the Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie Hall: The OSNY’s 151st performance of Messiah features an outstanding roster of soloists: Kathryn Lewek, Cody Bowers, Aaron Sheehan, and Adam Lau. | Monday, December 22 at 7 PM

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 at “New Year’s Eve Concert for Peace” at St. John the Divine: After the success of last year’s program, Kent brings back Beethoven’s Ninth for this annual Cathedral event, hosted by Harry Smith, with the stellar soloist quartet of Jessica Faselt, Lucia Bradford, Joshua Blue, and Michael Sumuel. | Wednesday, December 31 at 7 PM

The Cathedral looks forward to welcoming the community to its Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services – all of which will also be livestreamed! Kent and his dream team at the Cathedral lead the Cathedral Choirs and Orchestra: Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols at 4 PM, Festal Eucharist at 10:30 PM, and Christmas Day Holy Eucharist at 10:30 AM.

And please consider a year-end gift to Musica Sacra, the Cathedral’s Friends of Music, and the Oratorio Society of New York. Kent can only bridge the gap between performance expenses and ticket income with your support. Thank you for including Kent’s mission in your annual giving as we near the end of the calendar year!

Happy, healthy, and peaceful holidays to all!

SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR Christmas Overture

G.F. HANDEL Organ Concerto in B-flat, Op. 4, No. 2

Daniel Ficarri, organ

EMILY HAZRATI “Coventry Carol”

J.S. BACH Magnificat, BWV 243

ALISON WILLIS “There is no rose”

Christmas carols sung by all

J.S. BACH “Gloria in excelsis” from Mass in B minor

RANDALL THOMPSON Alleluia

ARCANGELO CORELLI Concerto Grosso No. 8 in G minor

G.F. HANDEL Excerpts from Messiah:

Pastoral Symphony

“Glory to God”

“Rejoice greatly”

FRANCIS POULENC O Magnum Mysterium

HELENA PAISH “While Mary Slept”

G.F. HANDEL Concerto for Harp in B-flat Major, Op. 4, No. 6

ADOLPHE ADAM Cantique de Noël*

SERGEI RACHMANINOFF “Bogoroditse Dyevo” from Vespers

G.F. HANDEL “Worthy is the Lamb” from Messiah