Seattle’s Byrd Ensemble is swapping out jingle bells for hushed harmonies this month, presenting two performances built around a brand-new recording and a pair of world-premiere arrangements of “Silent Night.” The choir performs the program, also titled Silent Night, on November 28 and November 29, pairing centuries-old carols with new settings of the same familiar texts.
According to West Seattle Blog, the program is the second concert of Byrd Ensemble’s 2026/27 season, titled Shadow & Splendor, and is directed by Markdavin Obenza. Obenza told the outlet that the program highlights the quiet surrounding the nativity rather than Christmas’s bright, festive side — a framing that shapes the entire evening, from the carol selections to the new commissions.
Those commissions include two world-premiere arrangements of “Silent Night,” one by Kerensa Briggs and one by Ēriks Ešenvalds, according to West Seattle Blog’s reporting. The ensemble’s own event page, which lists the program in detail, confirms the pairing of world-premiere arrangements by Kerensa Briggs and Ēriks Ešenvalds alongside the group’s more traditional carol settings. The idea, per West Seattle Blog, is to place traditional carols side by side with modern settings of the same source texts, letting audiences hear how composers across eras have treated identical words and melodies.
A Harp-Backed Centerpiece From John Rutter
The evening’s centerpiece is John Rutter’s “Dancing Day,” a 25-minute cycle for treble voices and harp that weaves together eight traditional carols, per the same West Seattle Blog report. Byrd Ensemble’s event page independently describes the piece as a 25-minute cycle weaving together eight traditional carols, corroborating the scope of the arrangement. Harpist Elizabeth Landis joins the ensemble for the performance, according to West Seattle Blog.
Two Seattle Stages, One Program
The Saturday performance takes place at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Seattle at 8 p.m. on November 28, while the Sunday show moves to Town Hall Seattle at 3 p.m. on November 29, West Seattle Blog reports. Doors open 30 minutes before each performance, and tickets range from $25 to $60. The concert itself runs 1 hour and 30 minutes including intermission — a runtime that Byrd Ensemble’s own event page confirms.
Byrd Ensemble’s event page lists Holy Rosary Catholic Church’s address as 4210 SW Genesee St., though a search snippet tied to the same page separately lists the address as 4139 42nd Ave SW; the discrepancy between the two listings had not been resolved as of publication.
New Album Arrives Alongside the Concerts
The concerts coincide with the release of Byrd Ensemble’s Christmas album, also titled Silent Night. West Seattle Blog reports the album was set for release on November 28, 2026, the same date as the Holy Rosary performance, while Byrd Ensemble’s event page dates the release more broadly to November 2026 without specifying the day.
For those who can’t make it to either venue in person, West Seattle Blog notes that a virtual concert video will be available for streaming from December 12 through January 12, 2027, extending the program’s run well past the two live dates.
