We were in Williamsburg this past Thursday and Friday with about 60 of our closest musical friends, spouses, partners, and assorted hangers-on as part of Manassas Chorale did part (about an hour's worth) of our Christmas concert of the Candlelight Concert series at Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg. This is the tenth or eleventh time a group from the Chorale has sung this concert, and once again, we had a packed house. The songs were well-received, and our phenomenal accompanist Jon Laird adapted all the accompaniments, most of which were written for piano, to the pipe organ at the church. Jon even managed a funky organ sound to go with the spiritual, "Behold the Star!" Somehow I don't think he learned to do that when he majored in organ at Catholic U's School of Music.

Afterward, many of us adjourned to the Seasons Restaurant for food and fellowship. After an overnight stay, Becky did some shopping and I did some editing and writing (including this piece). We enjoy Williamsburg, the historical nature of the place, the restaurants, the shopping (Becky), the change to get away, and the chance to write (me). We came here on our honeymoon 39 years ago on the 15th and revisited periodically, especially when Amy was enrolled at William and Mary from 1999 until 2003. It's all good, as Amy's W&M friend Scott Effler would say.

The Bruton Parish concert is always on a Thursday evening at 8 PM the first part of December. If you can make it next year, the concert is free and I think it's well worth attending. You can check our website for information for this and other upcoming concerts at http://www.manassaschorale.org/home.aspx. Come on down and go colonial with the rest of us!