Sounds of the Season: Music on the Hill Christmas Concert

Music on the Hill presents "Sounds of the Season," a traditional Christmas concert of the Jubilate Ringers handbell choir and Festival Chorus, with artistic directors David H. Connell and Ellen Dickinson. The concert is Friday, December 15, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Wilton, 36 New Canaan Road.

"Sounds of the Season" includes carols and seasonal songs old and new, among them works by English composers Ralph Vaughan Williams and John Rutter. The audience is invited to join in for favorite carols sung with the imposing St. Matthew's organ and with bells.

This year's concert features works by the artistic directors. David H Connell's "A Star" is a hauntingly beautiful setting of poems by Unitarian Universalist clergyman Rudolph Nemser. Ellen Dickinson's "Light in the Darkness" will receive its premiere performance. It includes twelve carols in four movements -- Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy -- for chorus and handbells with crotales, two octaves of gleaming bronze percussion.

Tickets for "Sounds of the Season" are $25 at the door, $20 in advance; children and students are free. Tickets may be ordered online or reserved by phone at 203-529-3133.

Subscribe to the Music on the Hill mailing list at musiconthehillCT.org to receive news of concerts and workshops in 2018.

About the Artistic Directors

David H. Connell is Director of Music and Worship Arts at Norfield Congregational Church in Weston. He has also served eleven years on the faculty of the North Carolina Governor's School (West), leading the choral music program for gifted high school students from across that state.

Ellen Dickinson, who served for eleven years as Director of Music at Norfield, has been the founding director of nine different ensembles, including the Jubilate Ringers (2006). An active carillon recitalist and teacher of carillon performance, she serves as College Carilloneur at Trinity College in Hartford and directs the carillon program at Yale University.

Both Dr. Connell and Ms. Dickinson hold advanced degrees from the Yale School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music.

About the Ensembles and Music on the Hill

The Jubilate Ringers and Festival Chorus are two of Music on the Hill's four performing ensembles. The others are the Chamber Chorus and the Summer Chorus. The ensembles meet on a project basis, with participants joining for one rehearsal/concert cycle lasting four to six weeks. New participants, including students, are always welcome. Learn about joining ensembles by visiting musiconthehillCT.org.

Music on the Hill, based in Wilton, is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to high-quality music performance and education for all ages. It is funded by generous supporters and by a grant from the CT Department of Community and Economic Development, Office of the Arts, which receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.