Department of Music

Please visit the Virginia Women’s Chorus website to purchase tickets.

Come enjoy the beauty of the holiday season as the Virginia Women’s Chorus presents its 32nd annual Candlelight Concerst.  The Virginia Women's Chorus is conducted by KaeRenae Mitchell. 

Please join the Chorus in ushering in the beauty, joy, and wonder of the holiday season. The lovely sounds of harp and women’s voices will float and embrace the audience in the glow of December.

The central focus of this year’s program is Gustav Holst’s Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda, Group 3, accompanied by professional harpist Anastasia Jellison. These pictorial settings of the ancient Sanskrit texts helped establish Holst as an important twentieth century composer. Holst learned Sanskrit to be able to translate the poems from these sacred Hindu scriptures.

Concertgoers will be taken on a journey with echoes of medieval times, ethereal and contemplative arrangements of traditional carols, and with upbeat and entertaining holiday music.  The beauty of the University Chapel and the ambience created by candlelight enhance the Chorus’ exquisite music. A processional sets the tone for this concert and a closing candlelight circle with a contemporary arrangement of Silent Night allows the beauty of the voices to be heard in true multi-dimensional surround sound.

Parking is available in the U.Va. Central Grounds Parking Garage located on Emmet Street and along the streets by the Chapel. The Chapel is accessible to all and handicap parking is available directly across the street.

The candlelight concerts have been said to be one of Charlottesville’s best-kept secrets. Accolades come from many concertgoers and include comments such as this: “The concert was stunningly beautiful, sensitively programmed and a musical treat of the highest order.  It really was quite amazing.”

This event is presented by an affiliated group.  To see all the groups affiliated with the McIntire Department of Music please visit our affiliation webpage.

All events are subject to change.