Behringer-Crawford Museum is welcoming the holiday season with music that’s merry, bright and centuries in the making. As part of BCM’s Holly Jolly Days, guests are invited to enjoy the festive sounds of the Cincinnati Recorder Consort and Northern Kentucky Youth Choir on Saturday, November 15, at 11 a.m. in the museum’s Rivers Gallery.
Delight in the pop and party music of days gone by, when princesses, dukes and jesters ruled the dance floor. The ensemble features recorders, or blokfluiten, ranging from the tiny soprano (like the one your fourth grader might play) to the towering contrabass, taller than most people. The group also includes light percussion and the warm tones of cornemuses, early reed instruments rarely heard today.
Regular performers in the Cincinnati Early Music Festival and Christ Church Cathedral’s “Music Live at Lunch”series, the Consort surprises audiences with joyful tunes that reveal the recorder’s true beauty, played in full harmony by professionals, amateurs and families, just as it was for centuries. The program will include selections by Gabrieli, Byrd, Buxtehude, Bach, Praetorius and others.
Joining the Consort will be the Northern Kentucky Youth Choir, a community arts organization that nurtures children and teens through healthy singing and meaningful connection to family and community. The choir, which practices weekly at BCM in the museum’s Education Center, will add its own beautiful harmonies to this festive performance.
It’s a perfect outing for all ages and the perfect way to kick off the holiday season at BCM. After the concert, families can continue the celebration with holiday-themed activities in the Education Center from 2–4 p.m. And don’t miss all of the Holly Jolly Days exhibits on display throughout the museum.
Rekindle memories and make new ones with Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: The Exhibit. Featuring Edith Head’s exquisite costume designs worn by Kentucky’s own Rosemary Clooney, as well as Bing Crosby, Vera-Ellen and Danny Kaye, the exhibit celebrates the timeless artistry behind one of Hollywood’s most beloved musicals. It is complemented by studio props, sheet music and cast memorabilia.
And don’t miss the 34th annual Holiday Toy Trains, a family favorite featuring eight O-gauge Lionel trains, 250 feet of track and more than 30 guest-activated accessories. With the push of a button, visitors can sound alarms, set figures in motion, and even launch a cow-abducting UFO!
Regular museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. The museum will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Day and New Year’s Eve and Day. It will be open for special holiday hours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19 and Monday, December 22 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, December 29.
Admission is free for BCM members and children under age 3; $9 adults; $8 seniors 60+; $5 children ages 3-17. Wednesdays are Grandparents Days: one grandchild admitted free with each paying grandparent.
The holiday spirit continues throughout Behringer-Crawford Museum with more seasonal exhibits and special events at www.bcmuseum.org.
Behringer-Crawford Museum