Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings

Range Ensemble brings Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings to The National Nordic Museum in Ballard on Saturday, December 19, and Sunday, December 20. It's a string quartet playing Christmas carols in a room lit by thousands of candles instead of stage lights, and the whole thing runs about an hour.

The program is built around the carols most of us know by heart. The tentative set includes 12 Days of Christmas, Angels We Have Heard On High, O Holy Night, Silent Night, Carol of the Bells, Joy to the World, and The First Noël. Hearing them on strings changes the feel—they're familiar tunes, but stripped back to a quartet.

The venue is part of the experience. The National Nordic Museum is a 400-capacity cultural center in Ballard, founded 45 years ago by Scandinavian immigrant communities. Its permanent exhibition, Nordic Journeys, traces Nordic history and immigration to the US. The building itself is award-winning, with the hemlock-clad Osberg Great Hall and the modern Fjord Hall. The concert takes place under the glow of candles rather than spotlights, so the room stays dim and the music stays center stage.

There are three performances: Saturday, December 19, at 6 PM and 8:30 PM, and Sunday, December 20, at 8:30 PM. Doors open 45 to 60 minutes before each show, and late entry isn't permitted, so you'll want to be there early. Seating is assigned on arrival on a first-come, first-served basis within each zone, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets start at $49.