Old First Concerts: December, 2024

This year Old First Concerts will present only four programs at Old First Presbyterian Church. All four of them will be “seasonal;” and, as might be expected, they will all be vocal! All of the events will remain “hybrid,” allowing both live streaming and seating in the Old First Presbyterian Church at 1751 Sacramento Street on the southwest corner of Van Ness Avenue. However, there will be more variation in ticket prices than usual. Those interested in attending should consult the event pages (which include hyperlinks for streaming) for specific price information. Hyperlinks to those event pages (which include hyperlinks for streaming) will be attached to the date and time of the performances as follows:

Saturday, December 7, 7:30 p.m.: The Young Women’s Chorus of San Francisco is an annual visitor at this time of year, presenting its annual Carols by Candlelight program. They will sing Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols with harp accompaniment by Molly Langer, and the performance will be led by Dr. Matthew Otto. There will be other selections for chorus and harp, which will include traditional carols.

Friday, December 13, 8 p.m.: The next regular visitor for the season will be Golden Bough. The performers are Margie Butler, Paul Espinoza, and Kathy Sierra. In addition to providing vocals, they are all instrumentalists backing themselves on an array of rare and more common acoustic instruments including: Celtic harp, penny-whistle, violin, octave-mandolin, mandolin, accordion, guitar, harmonica, recorder and bodhrán. Like their previous performances, their program will specialize in Celtic songs of winter; but they also offer their unique take on better known Christmas carols.

The members of the Ragazzi Boys Chorus (from the Old First Concerts event page)

Sunday, December 15, 4 p.m.: The Ragazzi Boys Chorus will return, led by Artistic and Executive Director Kent Jue. They will present the oldest composed work in the series, the Cantate Domino by Heinrich Schütz. For the most part, however, the program will draw upon familiar seasonal offerings.

Sunday, December 22, 4 p.m.: Kitka will present its traditions Wintersongs program under the co-direction of Shira Cion, Janet Kutulas, and Juliana Graffagna. The vocalists are Stacy Barnett, Kristine Barrett, Charlotte Finegold, Erin Lashnits Herman, Maclovia Quintana, Katya Schoenberg, and Talia Young-Skeen. This year’s program will pay particular attention to music from the Republic of Georgia. However, there will also be offerings of Balkan, Baltic, Mediterranean and Slavic sources.