National Chamber Orchestra draws ovations with Vivaldi and Tchaikovsky in Georgetown

The National Chamber Orchestra filled Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown on October 3 with Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, earning standing ovations after each major work. The concert paired historic instruments and a historic venue with a program meant to highlight collaboration, listening and shared musical experience.

Why it matters: - The concert paired two repertory staples with a landmark Georgetown sanctuary, turning a familiar program into a high-profile live event. - The performance highlighted the continuing draw of historic instruments, including a Stradivarius violin, in settings that connect music history with Washington history. - The evening also pointed to the National Chamber Orchestra’s broader mission of building shared experience through live ensemble performance.

What happened: - The National Chamber Orchestra performed Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings on October 3 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown. - Audience members responded with enthusiastic applause and standing ovations after each major work. - Julien Benichou, the orchestra’s General and Artistic Director, led the concert. - Violinist Joshua Brown served as soloist for Vivaldi’s four concertos. - Holy Trinity is the Georgetown church where President John F. Kennedy worshipped.

The details: - Brown performed on the “Lord Newlands” Stradivarius, described in the program as a historic violin provided through a long-term loan from the Sasakawa Music Foundation in Japan. - The program identified the violin’s namesake as Lord Newlands, formerly William Hozier. - JaLynn Prince provided narration during The Four Seasons, helping frame the imagery in the music. - Brown’s interpretation emphasized technical command and expressive intensity across spring, summer, autumn and winter. - In “Spring,” the performance evoked birdsong, flowing streams and a landscape awakening. - In “Summer,” the music moved from calm into storm-driven tension. - In “Autumn,” the ensemble emphasized harvest, celebration and the hunt. - In “Winter,” sharper contours suggested cold and exposure, while quieter passages offered warmth and repose. - Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48 followed intermission. - The serenade’s opening movement, waltz, elegy and finale created a broad emotional arc. - Benichou shaped the work’s longer phrases while keeping each movement distinct. - Concertmaster Kelly Cho led the first violins. - Ryan Huo served as principal second violin. - Amanda Kellman led the violas. - Igor Zubkovsky led the cellos. - Victor Holmes led the basses. - Harpsichordist Caleb Bates joined the Vivaldi performance.

Between the lines: - The article presents the concert as more than a recital: the setting, instrument history and repertoire were used to frame music as a shared civic and emotional experience. - The focus on listening and ensemble response suggests the orchestra wanted the evening to read as a statement about collaboration in a divided moment. - The mention of the September 27 recital featuring a separate Mozart-linked Stainer violin places the October concert within a broader run of historically informed programming.

What's next: - The National Chamber Orchestra and Choir will return to Holy Trinity Catholic Church on December 5, 2026, for Handel’s Messiah. - The program will feature the “Hallelujah Chorus.” - Concert information is available at More information.

The bottom line: - The Georgetown concert combined star solo playing, a historic venue and a familiar seasonal program, and the audience response suggested the formula landed.