A yearning to be transported across cultures and eras is one of the themes of this year’s holiday concerts, with stops in Baroque Germany, the British Isles and Ukraine. Another is connecting with festive traditions that are as reliable as a serving of panettone and eggnog. Here’s a guide to festive sounds by a broad range of local and visiting artists.
“A German Christmas”
Named after one of the leading composers of the English Renaissance, the singers of the Byrd Ensemble — joined by brass players — make an excursion to Baroque Germany with stirring music by J.S. Bach and Michael Praetorius.
Nov. 30 and Dec. 1; Trinity Parish Church, 609 Eighth Ave., Seattle; general admission tickets from $35, $30 for ages 65+, $25 students; byrdensemble.com
“Ho Ho Ho!”
Dancing Santas, hilariously clever arrangements of seasonal classics, and an ode to “Hanukkah in Santa Monica” — plus the indispensable audience singalong — are some of the ingredients for this year’s take on the beloved tradition by the Seattle Men’s Chorus.
Dec. 1-21 at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle. Also Dec. 6 at Tacoma’s Pantages Theater and Dec. 8 at Everett’s Civic Auditorium; tickets from $19; seattlemenschorus.org
“Leslie Odom Jr.: The Christmas Tour”
Best known for his knockout performance as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton,” Leslie Odom Jr. has captivated audiences with his talents as an actor, singer and songwriter. The Tony Award-winning artist joins the Seattle Symphony to sing selections from his two holiday albums, with Anthony Parnther on the podium.
Dec. 3; Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle; tickets from $75; seattlesymphony.org
“Holiday Pops with Chloe Flower”
Pianist, composer and producer Chloe Flower brings her “popsical” style — melding classical, pop and hip-hop — to the Seattle Symphony’s Holiday Pops program. Along with joyful Yuletide numbers, they will perform songs from “Chloe Hearts Christmas,” Flower’s 2023 holiday album.
Dec. 6-8; Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle; tickets from $46; seattlesymphony.org
“Tenebris ad Lucem”
Latin for “from darkness to light” is the title of this journey by the Medieval Women’s Choir tracing the progression from Advent preparation to the unfiltered joy of the Nativity in medieval music.
Dec. 7; Saint James Cathedral, 804 Ninth Ave., Seattle; general admission $30; veterans, students and those who pay as they will can offer a donation; medievalwomenschoir.org
“A Festival of Lessons and Carols”
Another longstanding tradition, now in its 46th year, continues with this concert of carols and hymns interspersed with Christmas readings. Modeled on the Christmas Eve ceremony at King’s College in Cambridge, “A Festival of Lessons and Carols” features the combined forces of the Northwest Boychoir and Vocalpoint! Seattle in appearances around the Puget Sound region that culminate in a Benaroya Hall performance.
Dec. 7-23, various locations. Final performance Dec. 23 at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle; tickets from $30; seattlesymphony.org
“Making Spirits Bright”
Known for captivating performances that sparkle with theatrical savvy, Canadian Brass brings a special angle to music of the season. For this appearance at Benaroya Hall, the ensemble will be joined by members of the Seattle Symphony’s own brass section.
Dec. 11; Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle; tickets from $48; seattlesymphony.org
“Christmas in Ukraine”
On the heels of the album “A Ukrainian Wedding,” which was released in October, the vocal ensemble Cappella Romana pays homage to Ukraine’s Christmas traditions with selections bridging the sacred and secular sides of the season — all led by Marika Kuzma, an international expert on Ukrainian music. The program includes carols and folk songs as well as music by one of the foundational composers of the Slavic world, Dmitro Bortniansky.
Dec. 13; St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 2100 Boyer Ave. E., Seattle; tickets from $33, students $15, SNAP recipients $5; cappellaromana.org
“Nowell: Winter in the British Isles”
Seattle ProMusica’s director Karen P. Thomas has curated a highly varied program this season that spans from medieval English carols to music by emerging women composers from Britain, with traditional favorites by composers like Herbert Howells and William Walton along the way.
Dec. 14 (3 and 7 p.m.) at Bastyr University Chapel, 14500 Juanita Drive N.E., Kenmore. Dec. 21 (3 and 7 p.m.) at First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave., Seattle. Tickets from $25, with pay-what-you-can option for Seattle performances; seattlepromusica.org
“Messiah”
The vocal-instrumental ensemble Harmonia originated in 1969 as the Seattle Chamber Singers. Under the direction of their late founder George Shangrow, these musicians became acclaimed for pulling out all the stops in their renditions of Handel’s beloved oratorio. Music Director William White carries that tradition forward as he both conducts and plays one of the two harpsichords the ensemble uses for its spirited performances.
Dec. 14 at First Free Methodist Church, 3200 Third Ave. W., Seattle. Dec. 15 at Bastyr University Chapel, 14500 Juanita Drive N.E., Kenmore. Tickets $25, $10 for those unable to afford a full-price ticket; harmoniaseattle.org