Green Grow'th the Holly: A Holiday Celebration of Life
12/5/2021 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Event Description
Green Grow'th the Holly!
~ A Holiday Celebration of Life ~
presented by ~ Illuminare ~ Vera Kochanowsky, director
with Jody Marshall, hammered dulcimer
Illuminare, the Falls Church treble vocal ensemble, will present Green Grow'th the Holly! at historic DACOR Bacon House. Verdant evergreens against winter's snow remind us of life’s ability to renew itself even in the bleakest moments of our lives. We reflect on this theme with joyous and contemplative music from the 12th-19th centuries -- chants, carols, canons, and dazzling polyphony -- from England, Ireland, Germany and Italy.
Joining the choral group will be Jody Marshall on the hammered dulcimer, described by The Washington Post as “lovely, lively, and shimmering.” Bacon House will be decorated for the holidays, and the recital may be attended live as well as virtually online. Attendees at the house will enjoy mulled wine, as has been our tradition. Please reserve early as live seating will be limited.
Illuminare, founded in 2006 as the Carmina Women’s Ensemble by Vera Kochanowsky, focuses on music of the medieval through Baroque eras composed or arranged for women’s voices. The name symbolizes the ensemble’s efforts to illuminate the glorious music of the past, often overlooked today. Just as beautiful initial letters, or illuminations, add beauty and meaning to medieval manuscripts, the group strives to enhance and enrich the lives of its listeners through its performances.
Illuminare has performed at the National Presbyterian Church, Anderson House, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, the Mansion at Strathmore, and First Night Alexandria. They have sung with Eya, the Countertop Quartet, Slaveya, and the Capitol Hill Chorale, as well as with sibling ensembleCarmina. Illuminare’s performances for the Washington Early Music Festival have been favorably reviewed by The Washington Post.
Carmina and Illuminare presented a Fringe Concert at the 2017 Boston Early Music Festival, and the groups regularly participated in the Washington Early Music Festival. Both were invited to take part in the Washington Arts Group's 2007 international convocation in a showcase performance, An Evening of Brillance, Past and Present, which also featured several internationally known artists and ensembles. Area choral directors honored Carmina and Illuminare in 2016 with the Choralis Foundation's Greater Washington Choral Excellence "Ovation" Award for Best Chamber Choir. The next year the groups shared an "Ovation" nomination for Most Creative Programming. Their two CDs, Illuminare Sings! and A Festival of Carols are available at concerts and online at Carmina.org.
Jody Marshall, a native of the Washington, D.C. area, grew up in a musical family. Enchanted by the sound and visual appeal of the hammered dulcimer, she developed a passion for the instrument.
She has been performing and teaching dulcimer since 1988 and was a founding member of the popular folk trios, Ironweed and MoonFire. She also performed extensively with Connemara.
Jody is a popular hammered dulcimer instructor, renowned for her clear and easy to follow teaching style. She teaches at dulcimer festivals and workshops across the country and internationally, as well as private lessons in her studio and online. www.jodymarshall.net
Visitors will no longer be required to wear masks indoors in the DACOR Bacon House per the change in the Mayor's guidance. Members and guests are of course welcome to wear masks if they so choose. DACOR's vaccination policy is still in force: All visitors to the DACOR Bacon House, for both DACOR events and members' private events, must be fully vaccinated.
