Paul Winter’s Winter Solstice Celebration
New England Tour
In 1980, Paul Winter and the Consort were invited to be artists-in-residence at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Paul Winter explains: “The dean had a personal mission to create a bridge between spirituality and ecology. He appreciated our music, but I think it was the ecological dimension of our repertoire that convinced him we could be part of the Cathedral. The premise of the invitation was entirely secular; it was not to have us play liturgical music. We could present any events we wanted, as long as we produced them ourselves.”
Since that time, the Winter Solstice Celebration has become a beloved annual tradition in New York City and for millions around the country, broadcast live on NPR. This year marks the third time that the Solstice Celebration has left its home at St. John the Divine. “While we will not have all the dancers and theatrical effects that were possible in the world’s largest Cathedral, we will have all the essence of our solstice music, and we will feature, as always, the beloved voice of Theresa Thomason, who has been the ‘star’ of our solstice celebrations for over 25 years.”
The Winter Solstice Celebration is a contemporary take on ancient solstice rituals, when people felt a calling to come together on the longest night of the year, to welcome the return of the Sun and birth of the new year.
“Central to all the traditions of solstice is the renewal of spirit,” Paul notes, “symbolized by the rebirth of the sun. Winter solstice is a time for healing and hope; it is a time to celebrate community and relatedness; and a time to honor the diversity and the unity of the great cornucopia of life on Earth. Remembering the solstice, we resonate once again with the rhythm of the cosmos and allow our hearts to embrace the optimism of our ancient knowledge that the light will overcome the darkness.”
Purchase tickets using the hyperlinks below. Sign up for Paul’s email list to be notified when tickets go on sale.
December 6 at 7:30 PM: The Great Hall, Needham MA>>
December 13 at 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM: Cathedral of St. Paul, Burlington, VT >>
December 17 at 7:30 PM: Cathedral of St. Luke, Portland, ME >>
December 19 at 7:00 PM: Woolsey Hall, Yale University, New Haven, CT >>
December 20 at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM (SOLD OUT): St. James Place, Great Barrington, MA>>
December 21 at 3:00 PM (SOLD OUT) and 7:00 PM: Bombyx Center, Florence, MA >>
December 23 at 8:00 PM: Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, NY >>
December 26 at 7:30 PM: Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Troy NY >>