Our Next Concert
Cantantibus Organis: A Celebration of St. Cecilia
Sunday, November 22, 2026 at 4:00pm
St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, Annandale
Carmina and Illuminare open their 2026–2027 season with a concert presented on St. Cecilia’s Day, the traditional feast of the patron saint of music and musicians. The program will feature motets honoring Cecilia herself, alongside music that celebrates singing, music-making, and the extraordinary human impulse to make music together. It will be a joyful opportunity to reflect on why we sing, and why music has held such a powerful place in our lives for centuries.
Discover Carmina and Illuminare
Hailed by The Baltimore Sun for their “gorgeous tonal balance”, Carmina and Illuminare are sibling ensembles dedicated to bringing the exquisite beauty of early music to the Washington, D.C. community.
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Carmina and Illuminare are pleased to welcome new artistic director Dr. Mark Helms, as of July, 2026!
Carmina, founded in 1998, explores vocal music of the Renaissance through Baroque. Its sister ensemble, Illuminare, focuses on early music for treble voices.
Opening with a concert honoring St. Cecilia and the gift of music itself, we then turn to the work of Guillaume de Machaut and close with a fiery celebration of Pentecost.