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Press Releases
The Washington Chorus Presents 16th Annual Performances of A Candlelight Christmas this December
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jennie Weyman, The Washington Chorus
jennie@thewashingtonchorus.org | 703.303.3135
Contact: Katlyn Morahan | Morahan Arts and Media
katlyn@morahanartsandmedia.com | 646.378.9386
THE WASHINGTON CHORUS PRESENTS 16TH ANNUAL
PERFORMANCES OF A CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS
Featuring beloved carols and new classics alike, including a world premiere
Sat, Dec. 13, 2025 at 4 pm and 7:30 pm | The Music Center at Strathmore
Sun, Dec. 14, 2025 at 3 pm | Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Sat, Dec. 20, 2025 at 2 pm | Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Sun, Dec. 21, 2025 at 7 pm | Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Mon, Dec. 22, 2025 at 8 pm | Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Washington, D.C. (November 24, 2025) – The Washington Chorus (TWC) is excited to present its annual performance of A Candlelight Christmas at both The Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD) and Kennedy Center Concert Hall (2700 F St NW, Washington, D.C.) on select dates between December 13 and 22. Conducted by TWC Artistic Director Eugene Rogers, the concert features guest jazz pianist Rod Vester, National Capital Brass and Percussion, organists Marvin Mills (Dec. 13–14) and Paul Byssainthe, Jr. (Dec. 20–22), as well as an expanded Side-by-Side education program. This year’s featured youth groups are DMV Music Academy, Annandale High School (Dec. 13–14), and Detroit School of the Arts (Dec. 20–22). Tickets start at $15, and more information is available at thewashingtonchorus.org/candlelight.
“We’re so excited to be returning for our 16th year of A Candlelight Christmas,” said Artistic Director Rogers. “As always, we will have audience favorites like ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ and ‘The Dream Isaiah Saw,’ but we’ll also have new works, like Gavin Tomasco’s brand new setting of ‘The Bells’ by Edgar Allan Poe, and our new interactive number, the ‘North Pole Jam.’ We love to keep our audiences on their toes!”
A Candlelight Christmas has become known for ringing in the holiday season with joy, spirit, and togetherness. Between the full 200-voice chorus, brass, organ, magical lights, and extra special holiday guests, this family-friendly concert always celebrates the pervasive hope of the holidays for a better, kinder world.
TWC highlights a different guest soloist at each year’s Candlelight, who performs their own compositions, as well as leads the chorus in an interactive performance. This year’s featured performer is jazz pianist Rod Vester, will perform jazz variations on several well-loved Christmas songs and then lead the chorus in “The Sounds of Christmas” from his 2024 Christmas LP Joy to the World.
“We’re particularly excited to bring back jazz pianist Rod Vester, who was so popular in our 2022 performance that we had to bring him back,” said Artistic Director Rogers.
In addition, this year’s performance features three fantastic youth organizations as part of TWC’s Side-by-Side high school education program. Director Don John’s DMV Music Academy will join as percussionists for “Little Drummer Boy” at each performance. Then Annandale High School, directed by Patrick Vaughn, will perform alongside TWC for the December 13 and 14 performances. Lastly, the Detroit School of the Arts, directed by Julian Goods, joins TWC for performances between December 20 and 22. This year marks the first year TWC is featuring an out-of-town ensemble with the Detroit School of the Arts, who will travel to DC as part of a performance tour.
Performance Information
A Candlelight Christmas 2025
The Beloved Holiday Experience!
Sat, Dec. 13, 2025 at 4 pm and 7:30 pm
The Music Center at Strathmore
Sun, Dec. 14, 2025 at 3 pm
Sat, Dec. 20, 2025 at 2 pm
Sun, Dec. 21, 2025 at 7 pm
Mon, Dec. 22, 2025 at 8 pm
Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Tickets: Starting at $15
Link: thewashingtonchorus.org/candlelight
PROGRAM:
ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY, H. J. Gauntlett, arr. David Willcocks
THE FIRST NOEL, arr. David Willcocks
VENI, VENI EMMANUEL, Michael John Trotta
CHRISTMAS CANTATA, Daniel Pinkham
HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING, Felix Mendelssohn, arr. David Willcocks
THIS CHRISTMASTIDE, Donald Fraser
GO, TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN, arr. Stacey V. Gibbs
FLOURISHES, Carlyle Sharpe
THE BELLS, Gavin Tomasco
NORTH POLE JAM, arr. Gavin Tomasco
IN DULCI JUBILO, arr. Matthew Culloton (Dec. 13 & 14)
BETELEHEMU, arr. Wendell P. Wahlum (Dec. 21 & 22)
THE SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS, arr. Rod Vester
LITTLE DRUMMER BOY, transcr. Gavin Tomasco
THE DREAM ISAIAH SAW, Glenn L. Rudolph
SILENT NIGHT, Franz Gruber
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS, Paul Johnson, arr. J. David Moore
ARTISTS:
Eugene Rogers, conductor
Rod Vester, guest soloist
Marvin Mills, organ (Dec. 13 & 14)
Paul Byssainthe, Jr., organ (Dec. 20-22)
National Capital Brass and Percussion
Side-by-Side Youth Ensembles:
DMV Music Academy, Don Johns, director
Annandale High School, Patrick Vaughn, director (Dec. 13 – 14)
Detroit School of the Arts, Julian Goods, director (Dec. 20 – 22)
About The Washington Chorus
The Washington Chorus (TWC) is one of the foremost symphonic choruses in the nation and a cultural leader in our nation’s capital—creating joyous and transformative choral music since 1961. TWC is noted for the superb artistry of its performances and recordings of the entire range of the choral repertoire. A three-time nominated and two-time Grammy-award winner, the 220-voice Chorus presents performances annually at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Music Center at Strathmore, and National Presbyterian Church. TWC is also a longtime artistic partner and collaborator with many of the nation’s leading organizations and artists, including the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), National Philharmonic (NatPhil), Washington Performing Arts (WPA), and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO).
About Eugene Rogers
Lauded for leading performances of “pure magic” (Washington Post), conductor Eugene Rogers is at the vanguard of American musicians, recognized for his musical and educational leadership around the world. Rogers is a committed conductor, teacher, arranger, and industry thought leader, championing timely new works, bringing historically overlooked music to life, and supporting next-generation talents.
Rogers is a two-time Michigan Emmy Award winner, a 2017 Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient, and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2015. Musical America magazine has named him one of the top music industry professionals, and his work has been profiled on CNN, PBS, and on radio stations and in print and online publications across the world.
Since 2020, Rogers has served as Artistic Director of The Washington Chorus. He is also the Founding Director for EXIGENCE, a professional vocal ensemble affiliated with the world-renowned Sphinx Organization, highlighting artistry within Black and Latinx communities. Alongside his own appearances as guest conductor for orchestra, chorus, and opera, he has also proudly acted as chorus master to leading conductors including Gianandrea Noseda, Marin Alsop, Joe Hisaishi, and James Conlon.
Rogers is an Associate Professor of Music and the Director of University Choirs at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. He currently serves on the board of Chorus America and is the former national chair of the Diversity Initiatives Committee for the American Choral Directors Association. Rogers is also active as an arranger, with publications including the Eugene Rogers Choral Series and the EXIGENCE Choral Series for Mark Foster Publishing.
About Rod Vester
Named one of Musical America’s Top 30 Professionals of the Year, Dr. Rod Vester is a multifaceted educator, researcher, pianist, composer, conductor, and producer with deep roots in gospel, jazz, classical, and contemporary music. He has performed with a range of artists across genres, including Grammy Award winners CeCe Winans, Kirk Franklin, and the late Aretha Franklin. His compositions have been published in the Total Praise Hymnal by GIA Publications, and Lifeway. Dr. Vester was the founding director of the Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary Musicianship and Entrepreneur Development (CMED) at Shenandoah Conservatory. Rod holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, master’s degrees in Counseling and Musicology, and a Ph.D. in Music Education.
Photo at top of release by Grant Langford
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