Washington National Cathedral

Washington National Cathedral celebrates Independence Day with its popular, annual July 4 Organ Recital. The Cathedral’s two organists, Scott Dettra and Christopher Jacobson, entertain the audience with a program of organ pyrotechnics that is as patriotic as it is nostalgic. The all-American program opens with Copland’s stunning Fanfare for the Common Man and includes opportunities for audience singing on the National Anthem and “My Country, ’Tis of Thee.”

This year’s concert marks the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln with a rare organ performance of Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait. The Right Rev. John Bryson Chane, Episcopal bishop of Washington, will narrate excerpts from Lincoln’s speeches and letters including the Gettysburg Address. Also not to be missed is The Stars and Stripes Forever, played with four hands and feet!

Doug McKelway, an Emmy-Award winning anchor and reporter, will be the master of ceremonies for the program. Coming from a long-line of Washington journalists—his grandfather was the editor of The Evening Star throughout much of the twentieth century—Doug has worked in television news in North Carolina, Kansas, Missouri, and Florida before returning to Washington in 2001. He is a talented banjo player and can occasionally be found picking blue grass music at local taverns.

The recital given on the Cathedral’s famous Skinner organ takes place inside one of the country’s most famous and breathtaking national treasures. The architectural splendor of the Cathedral and the magnificence of the music within create a harmony that is both stirring and memorable.

Seating in the great choir is $40 per person; general admission seating is free. Everyone is encouraged to RSVP, regardless of seating section, at http://tickets.cathedral.org.