12 Oct Press Release: Concertos for Christmas
LES DÉLICES BRINGS FESTIVE VIRTUOSITY TO NORTHEAST OHIO THIS DECEMBER 11-13TH WITH CONCERTOS FOR CHRISTMAS
Cleveland’s early music powerhouse Les Délices brings signature Baroque flair and a sparkling virtuosity to Northeast Ohio this December 11-13th with Concertos for Christmas. In this new holiday program, an ensemble of acclaimed soloists will take turns in the spotlight for brilliant, festive concertos from Baroque France, Italy, and Germany, including a rarely-heard concerto by J.S. Bach.
Les Délices will present three performances of Concertos for Christmas this holiday season. Friday, December 11th at 7:30 pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Akron, Saturday, December 12th at 7:30 pm at Fairmount Presbyterian in Cleveland Heights and Sunday, December 13th at 4:00 pm at West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church in Rocky River. Join the musicians for a post-concert reception following each performance!
These concerts feature an expanded roster of Les Délices instrumentalists. Joining core members Debra Nagy (director, oboe/recorders), Shelby Yamin (violin), Rebecca Landell (cello/viola da gamba), and Mark Edwards (harpsichord) are special guest artists Kathryn Montoya (oboe/recorders), Laura Lutzke (violin), Allison Monroe (viola), and Sue Yelanjian (bass).
At A Glance:
What: Concertos for Christmas (Brilliant and colorful Baroque music for the holidays)
When: December 11-13, 2026
Where: Performances in Akron, Cleveland Heights, and Rocky River
Who: Les Délices, Cleveland’s early chamber music ensemble
THIS EVENT IS TICKETED. Single tickets ($10-$28-$45) and build-your-own season subscriptions are available for purchase on the Les Délices ticketing platform.
The program opens with Michel Corrette’s Simphonie de noëls no. 2, a lively setting of traditional French carols tracing back to the 16th century, featuring boisterous unisons, rustic fiddle solos, and sweet recorder duets. Giuseppe Torelli’s mysterious Concerto Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale offers dramatic contrast with longing suspensions and folk-dance rhythms, while J.S. Bach’s joyful Concerto in F major, BWV 1057 features solo harpsichord alongside a pair of recorders.
Rounding out the program are Antonio Vivaldi’s soaring Concerto for two oboes in D minor, RV 535, spotlighting the interplay between longtime friends and colleagues Debra Nagy and Kathryn Montoya, and culminates with Johann Christoph Pez’s grand Concerto Pastorale.
Why play concertos at Christmastime?
Unlike many concerts on offer this time of year, Concertos for Christmas doesn’t feature music that was expressly written to celebrate Christmas. Still, an unmistakable holiday “flavor” and joyful verve pervades the program.
Historically, the image of the shepherds receiving the announcement of Jesus’ birth inspired composers to adopt sweet harmonies, lilting dotted rhythms, earthy bass drones, and wind instruments like oboes and recorders that recall ancient shepherd’s pipes. These charming pastoral tropes form the quintessential “sound of the season”—offering a joyful reason to showcase double reeds and recorders in all their warmth and brilliance. You’ll hear this kind of instrumental writing in Johann Christoph Pez’s Concerto Pastorale and in the celebratory vivace of Torelli’s Concerto Pastorale per il Santissimo Natale. In the ingenious hands of Michel Corrette, beloved French carol tunes are transformed into virtuosic showpieces.
An Ensemble of Soloists
By definition, a concerto celebrates the collective energy of a full ensemble while creating moments for individual musicians to revel in the spotlight. This expanded eight-member roster highlights the virtuosic talents of every artist on stage. Highlights include Debra Nagy and Kathryn Montoya trading soaring melodies in Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Oboes and violinists Shelby Yamin and Laura Lutzke bringing rustic fiddle solos and improvisatory flair to works by Corrette and Torelli.
At the heart of the program, acclaimed Bach interpreter Mark Edwards takes center stage to perform J.S. Bach’s Harpsichord concerto in F major, BWV 1057. This rarely-performed concerto is actually Bach’s own arrangement of his Brandenburg Concerto no. 4 that reimagines it as a solo harpsichord concerto. In it, he retains the two recorders, adapts the violin pyrotechnics to the keyboard, and lets the harpsichord sing throughout the slow movement.
A Spirit of Togetherness
At its heart, Concertos for Christmas revels in the idea of community celebration. The shortest days and longest nights of the year bring an invitation to gather dear friends and family together for warmth and fellowship. That spirit of togetherness shines throughout the performance—from the delight of longtime colleagues sharing the stage, to the boisterous unison “singing” that alternates with violin solos in Corrette’s French carols, to the infectious closing Passacaglia by Johann Christoph Pez that serves as a joyous cap to the evening.
EVENT DETAILS:
Concertos for Christmas: Brilliant and colorful concertos set the tone for this festive holiday season.
Friday, December 11, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Westminster Presbyterian Church
1250 W Exchange St, Akron, OH 44313
Saturday, December 12, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Fairmount Presbyterian Church
2757 Fairmount Blvd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Sunday, December 13, 2026 at 4:00 pm
West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church
20401 Hilliard Blvd, Rocky River, OH
Light on the Horizon: Join us on the Journey
Les Délices’ 2026-2027 Season Light on the Horizon promises a transformational experience of musical artistry. Visit https://lesdelices.org/events/ for detailed information on each program, performance dates and times, and ticketing options. Build-Your-Own Subscriptions, Virtual Subscriptions, and single tickets for all upcoming performances are now on sale.
Les Délices has a full calendar of subscription concerts, free shows, and educational programs planned for the 2026-2027 season. In addition, Les Délices is proud to work within NEO Ohio schools, supporting and enriching the musical development of students. More community events will be announced during the season.