Department of Music

Join The Oratorio Society of Virginia in welcoming in the holiday season with a performance of Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols for four-part chorus and harp, as well as other holiday favorites with brass ensemble.

Christmas at The Paramount, two performances featuring holiday favorites including A Ceremony of Carols, one of Britten’s best-known works. The program will also feature arrangements of “I Saw Three Ships” and “The Little Drummer Boy” with brass ensemble, choral works by Alice Parker, Carrie Magin, and John Tavener, along with favorite carols “Do You Hear What I Hear” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”

The Oratorio Society of Virginia, a chorus of more than 95 auditioned community singers conducted by Michael Slon, Music Director of The Oratorio Society and Director of Choral Music at the University of Virginia. Also featuring brass ensemble, guest harpist, Karlee Lanum, and regional youth choirs, the Regents School’s Cantorum choir directed by Kara Faraldi (2:30 concert) and the community youth chorus, Voces Laetae directed by Will Cooke (7:30 concert).

This event will take place at the Paramount Theater (215 E. Main St., Charlottesville VA, 22902).

Tickets available at https://www.theparamount.net/, 434-979-1333, or Paramount Box Office, 215 E. Main St. (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.)

A livestream option is also available for the evening performance at 7:30 p.m. Purchase access at https://www.oratoriosociety.org/.

About The Oratorio Society of Virginia

Founded in 1966, the Oratorio Society of Virginia is the region’s longest-running community chorus, inspiring others through quality musical performances and educational opportunities for more than 55 years. Members of the chorus span in age from high school students to retirees, and come from a wide variety of backgrounds and professions, but all share a love and passion for the choral arts. Recent repertoire has included works by Bach, Beethoven, Bernstein, Bonds, Faure, Finzi, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Rutter, Verdi and Vivaldi, and collaborations with the UVA University Singers, Charlottesville Symphony, Staunton Music Festival, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Zion Union Baptist Church, Charlottesville Opera, Charlottesville Ballet, and others which enrich the group’s programming. The ensemble also invites regional youth choruses to share the stage at annual holiday concerts, and each spring offers a “Together in Song” event open to community singers and benefitting local charities. We are committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in all we do, and seek to engage and inspire our communities through the transformative power of choral music. 

For more information visit: oratoriosociety.org/