Seein’ the DMV: Celebrating the Holidays 2025
As I have mentioned in previous posts, this has been a difficult year for my family. I’ve kept my travels close enough to the DMV that I could get back fairly quickly if needed. With the passing of my eldest sister’s husband in October, I’ve intentionally stayed close to home. Sometimes, though, we are blessed through difficult moments. My sister asked me to sing for the memorial service. I’d stepped away from public performing, but I couldn’t refuse her. The blessing I received was both spiritual — rediscovering that I still have the gift to sing, but I have to change the way I do it — and practical — a limited return to public performance. I am even considering giving a concert in late Spring 2026. More about this if it actually gets past the wishful thinking stage. Holiday Concerts in the DMV Most of November and December was…
Seein’ the DMV: Messiah Sing-along at the Kennedy Center
I’ve attended several events at The Kennedy Center since my return to the DMV, but this was special for me. I had missed last year’s Messiah sing-along because I had been exposed to COVID and, while I had shown no symptoms, I could not allow myself to chance exposing others–especially fellow musicians–to the disease. This year, I was good to go. Tickets to the Messiah Sing-along were free to the public. I submitted a reservation and was able to get a seat in the orchestra section that had been made accessible. The Concert Hall filled quickly–despite being a Monday evening after a workday–with other musicians and families with young children–so good to see another generation exposed to Handel. Conductor Nancia D’Alimonte came on stage before the program and warmed us up. She also informed us that the concert was the latest of a series of annual Messiah sing-alongs since the…