The blizzard of holiday choral music that sweeps in this time every year is more than just some seasonal soundtrack. At the core of every jolly little number is a simple message, well suited to the season: that we can find strength in numbers and harmony in difference. Choruses remind us that in a culture of cross talk, reassurance awaits in the sound of voices in unison.
The D.C. area is particularly rich with choral offerings, especially this time of year — more than can fit in the proverbial stuffed stocking below. What follows is my own selection of some of the most promising choral concerts over the coming month, ranging from oratorios and timeless carols to family-friendly Frosty-forward sing-alongs (probably best not to mix those up).
Washington National Cathedral Choir and Baroque Orchestra
The combined forces of Washington National Cathedral Choir and Baroque Orchestra make fitting masterful work of Handel’s “Messiah” every holiday season. A couple of years ago I noted the careful control the musicians maintained in this colossal space, with the music sustaining “the gentle glow of a halo all evening long.” Conductor Dana Marsh and concertmaster Daniel Lee will be joined by a quartet of soloists: soprano Laura Choi Stuart, mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams, tenor Andrew Bearden Brown and bass-baritone Kevin Deas. Together they will give three full performances over three days, as well as a “highlights” version (Dec. 6 at 2 p.m.) that condenses the 2½-hour oratorio into a family-friendly hour. Dec. 5-7, Washington National Cathedral, cathedral.org.
Washington Douglass Chorale
Led by co-artistic directors Scott Tucker and Theodore Thorpe III, the Washington Douglass Choraleis a mixed chorus of volunteer and professional singers with a repertoire ranging across “traditional European and American masterworks, American spiritual music, neglected masterworks by Black composers, and contemporary works by living composers.” (The chorus left a big impression on me at its 2023 debut.) “How Great Our Joy” will mix unique arrangements of spirituals and Christmas favorites on a program including works by John Rutter, Tripp Carter, Anton Bruckner, John Gardner and more. Dec. 7, Grace Episcopal Church, Silver Spring, douglasschoraledc.org.
Washington Bach Consort
Presented in cooperation with Washington Performing Arts, the Washington Bach Consort brings an evergreen gift to National Presbyterian Church with its annual performance of Bach’s beloved Christmas oratorio — a.k.a. “Weihnachtsoratorium” (BWV 248). Soloists soprano Hannah De Priest, alto Sylvia Leith, tenor Thomas Cooley and bass Tyler Duncan will bring five of the oratorio’s six glorious cantatas to life, accompanied by the Consort and artistic director Dana Marsh. (Arrive an hour early for a preconcert talk with Bach scholar Michael Marissen.) Dec. 13, National Presbyterian Church, bachconsort.org.
Cathedral Choral Society
Conductor Steven Fox will lead the Cathedral Choral Society in three performances of its Christmas celebration, “Joy of Christmas,” which plans to make full use of Washington National Cathedral’s soaring acoustics. Joining the chorus for a program of choral staples and crowd-pleasing carols will be trumpeter Mary Elizabeth Bowden’s Seraph Brass, organist Edward Hewes, percussionist Mary La Blanc, Cathedral carillonneur Edward M. Nassor and this year’s featured high school musicians, the Eastern Concert Choir of D.C.’s own Eastern Senior High School, directed by Tedrick Bond. Dec. 13-14, Washington National Cathedral, cathedralchoralsociety.org.
Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington
For an extra helping of holiday cheer, you would be hard-pressed to outsparkle the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, who return once more with their perennially popular “Holiday Show.” Expect the diva treatment of favorites such as “O Holy Night,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and Santa only knows what else. Dec. 13, 14 and 20, Lincoln Theatre, gmcw.org.
The Washington Chorus
The Washington Chorus brings the 16th go-round of its beloved holiday program, “A Candlelight Christmas,” to Strathmore and the Kennedy Center Concert Hall for a total of six performances. These tend to sell out, and for good reason: The program is a wintry mix of carols, spirituals, choral deep cuts and cantatas, familiar enough to stoke your memory and fresh enough to open your ears. Director Eugene Rogers welcomes the National Capital Brass and Percussion as well as guest soloist Rod Vester and organists Marvin Mills (Dec. 13-14) and Paul Byssainthe Jr. (Dec. 20-22). And bolstering the 200-voice chorus will be student choirs from the DMV Music Academy, directed by Don Johns; Annandale High School, directed by Patrick Vaughn (Dec. 13-14); and the Detroit School of the Arts, directed by Julian Goods (Dec. 20-22). Dec. 13, Strathmore Music Center, Bethesda; Dec. 14, 20, 21 and 22, Kennedy Center Concert Hall, thewashingtonchorus.org.
Choral Arts
This year, artistic director Marie Bucoy-Calavan will lead the Choral Arts Society of Washington in two different programs at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. “O Night Divine” (Dec. 15 and 24) will assemble the Choral Arts Symphonic Chorus and Choral Arts Orchestra for a wide-ranging program of holiday music — including a sing-along or two. “A Family Christmas” (Dec. 20 and 24) features the Choral Arts Singers and Family Christmas Band for a kid-pleasing program bustling with beloved characters (and warning: one Grinch). Heads up: Special tickets are available for the Dec. 15 performance, which doubles as Choral Arts’s 45th annual gala and is followed by a silent auction. Dec. 15, 20 and 24, Kennedy Center Concert Hall, choralarts.org
National Symphony Orchestra
The NSO knows its way around Handel’s “Messiah” — a reliable highlight of every holiday season. This year’s array of special guests includes Dutch conductor Ton Koopman (founding director of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir), who will lead the orchestra; the University of Maryland Concert Choir; and a quartet of talented soloists: soprano Amanda Forsythe, countertenor Maarten Engeltjes, tenor Kieran White and bass-baritone John Taylor Ward. And for those who just can’t keep the hallelujahs in, take note of the free “Messiah Sing-Along” at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage (Dec. 23), featuring Nancia D’Alimonte — founding music director of the Bethesda-based NIH Philharmonia — leading members of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, guest soloists, a chorus of 150 singers and, quite possibly, you and yours. Dec. 18-21, Kennedy Center Concert Hall, kennedy-center.org.
Washington Master Chorale
The entirely a cappella offering of “Thine Own Sweet Light” will assemble the 50-voice Washington Master Chorale, led by artistic director Thomas Colohan, for two performances of a program mixing holiday classics with selections including Edvard Grieg’s “Ave Maris Stella,” Eric Whitacre’s “Lux Aurumque,” Christopher Hoh’s “Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord God of Hosts,” and a new work by Barcelona-based composer Josep Ollé i Sabaté. Dec. 19, St. Ann’s Catholic Church; Dec. 21, Church of the Epiphany, washingtonmasterchorale.org.
The Thirteen
That’s right, one last “Messiah.” (And all the better if it’s your first!) This one brought to you by the formidable baker’s dozen of the Thirteen, the all-professional choir and period orchestra led by artistic director Matthew Robertson. Arrive an hour early for a preconcert discussion with Charles King, author of “Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel’s Messiah.” Dec. 20, National City Christian Church; Dec. 21, Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, Bethesda thethirteenchoir.org.
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