FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Michael Fila (301) 581-5194 [email protected] Strathmore Presents HOLIDAY CONCERTS in the MUSIC CENTER with THE SKAGGS FAMILY, THE 5 BROWNS, DAVE KOZ and JIM BRICKMAN Mansion performances by Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, The Capital Hearings, Lena Seikaly and The Music Pilgrim Trio and Family Fun with Strathmore Family Sings and Mrs. Claus Tea NORTH BETHESDA, MD – Given the recent commotion over bacteria in produce we’re forgoing the partridge in a pear tree, and the lords a’ leaping will be busy dressing the Mansion in holiday decor, so Strathmore brings the 10 Days of Christmas to Washington, D.C. with a collection of events that will make December flush with the sounds of the holiday season. Concertgoers will find the Music Center and Mansion bursting with iconic carols, warm piano tunes, Klezmer, a cappella carols and memorable noels, smooth jazz riffs on seasonal favorites and original song, as well as activities that will have the whole family singing in the spirit of the season. For more information about any of Strathmore’s holiday concerts or to purchase tickets, call (301) 581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org. The holidays at Strathmore will include: A Skaggs Family Christmas Thursday, December 1, 2011 8 p.m. Music Center Tickets $28-$68 (Stars Price $25.20-$61.20) Fourteen-time Grammy winner Ricky Skaggs marshals the members of his gifted family as well as his in- laws, the bluegrass masters the White Family, to make this holiday season a family affair. Imbued with the pure mountain sound of bluegrass, popular holiday carols will be rediscovered, with renditions of “Little Drummer Boy,” “What Child is This?,” “The Christmas Guest,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and more. The 5 Browns Holiday Show Friday, December 2, 2011 8 p.m. Music Center Tickets $21-$58 (Stars Price $18.90-$52.20) Dubbed the “Fab Five” by People Magazine, the 5 Browns, a talented group of piano-playing siblings, have released three CDs that each made the top of Billboard Magazine’s Classical Album chart. The New York Post has proclaimed: “One family, five pianos and 50 fingers add up to the biggest classical music sensation in years…” The 5 Browns will share their musical gifts, as they perform seasonal music from Tchaikovsky, Liszt and Mozart to Richard Rodgers and Peanuts composer Vince Guaraldi. Specialty Tea Mrs. Claus Tea Saturday, December 3, 2011 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Mansion $26 per person (Stars Price $23.40) plus tax Call (301) 581-5108 for tea reservations Parents can celebrate the holidays with their little ones at Strathmore’s special children’s tea with very special guest, Mrs. Claus, as they enjoy holiday music, a kid-friendly menu of delicious treats and holiday story time. Recommended for children ages 4 and up. Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour 2011 with Special Guests Rick Braun, Jonathan Butler and Candy Dulfer Co-Presented with Blues Alley Monday, December 5, 2011 8 p.m. Music Center Tickets $38-$72 (Stars Price $34.20-$64.80) Dave Koz and his talented friends bring a smooth jazz vibe to the holiday season, performing songs from Koz’s classic holiday albums December Makes Me Feel This Way, A Smooth Jazz Christmas by Dave Koz & Friends and Memories of a Winter’s Night, as well as unforgettable holiday favorites of their own. Sharing the stage are trumpeter Rick Braun, South African jazz pop singer Jonathan Butler and alto saxophonist Candy Dulfer. Jim Brickman: Christmas Celebration Wednesday, December 7, 2011 8 p.m. Music Center Tickets $35-$55 (Stars Price $31.50-$49.50) Platinum-selling Grammy-winner Jim Brickman escapes the hustle and bustle of the holidays through his hallmark dazzling solo piano and vibrant vocals, weaving together new and old traditional holiday favorites, plus all of his most popular hits. Strathmore Family Sings: Christmas Music with Betty Scott Sunday, December 11, 2011 4 p.m. Music Center, Room 402 Tickets $7 (Stars Price $6.30) Strathmore’s Grammy-winning Education Program Coordinator and music educator Betty Scott will have families and friends singing holiday hits in harmony with Strathmore’s rousing sing. Revelers will warble along to songs including “Silver Bells,” “Deck the Halls” and “Winter Wonderland,” while kids “jingle all the way,” providing accompaniment with their family car keys. Guests can also bring their guitars or ukuleles to strum along with a few of the tunes, and former Strathmore Artist in Residence Christylez Bacon will add percussion with his human beatbox. The Capital Hearings, An A Cappella Holiday Wednesday, December 14, 2011 7:30 p.m. Mansion Tickets $15 (Stars Price $13.50) From embassy soirees to roller derby bouts, the dynamic vocal ensemble Capital Hearings has been heard all over Washington, D.C. and will share its diverse repertoire of holiday carols, as well as Renaissance motets, modern hits and jazz, under the twinkle lights and garland in Strathmore’s historic Mansion. Lena Seikaly – Holiday Jazz Standards Friday, December 16, 2011 11 a.m. Mansion Tickets $15 (Stars Price $13.50) The songs of the holidays will be wrapped in jazz notes and delivered by “buzzed-about vocalist Lena Seikaly, whose lush mezzo-soprano and clever phrasing have made her one of the local jazz scene’s most promising performers” (The Washington Post). Guests will enjoy Christmas and holiday favorites such as "Let It Snow," "Winter Wonderland," "White Christmas" and "Silent Night" with vocal stylings that would make Ella proud. Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra: A Bohemian Christmas Sunday, December 18, 2011 5:30 amnd 7:30 p.m. Mansion Tickets $20 (Stars Price $18) The Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra celebrates the holiday season with new arrangements and selections from the Stan Kenton and Claude Thornhill songbooks and features the entire “Nutcracker Suite” adaptation by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. The Music Pilgrim Trio Wednesday, December 21, 2011 7:30 p.m. Mansion Tickets $15 (Stars Price $13.50) The Music Pilgrim Trio blends classical, jazz and traditional music of different countries to create a concert of Jewish, Yiddish, Klezmer and Chanukah holiday music. The repertoire takes an unexpected turn when the musicians fuse Jewish, jazz and Latin American influences in its original compositions. About Strathmore Strathmore is an established arts presenter and cultural destination that nurtures art, artists and community through creative and diverse programming of the highest quality, and is home to the Music Center at Strathmore, a 1,976-seat concert hall and education complex. The Music Center at Strathmore is located at 5301 Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda, MD, one half-mile north of the Capital Beltway and immediately adjacent to the Grosvenor-Strathmore station on Metro’s Red Line. For those attending a ticketed performance at the Music Center at Strathmore, parking in the Metro garage is complimentary with ticket purchase. The Mansion at Strathmore is located at 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, MD, one half- mile north of the Capital Beltway and immediately adjacent to the Grosvenor-Strathmore station on Metro’s Red Line. Parking for Mansion performances is available on site in the Mansion parking lot. ### Strathmore is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. An agency of the Department of Business & Economic Development, MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to non-profit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities. Strathmore is also supported in part by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Strathmore Venues Mansion at Strathmore Music Center at Strathmore 10701 Rockville Pike 5301 Tuckerman Lane North Bethesda, MD 20852 North Bethesda, MD 20852 Tickets and Information (301) 581-5100 www.strathmore.org .