E. Carl Freeman Concert Series

E. Carl Freeman Concert Series

The Concert Series was started in 1970 both to gain full benefit of the then-new sanctuary with its great acoustics and to reach out to the surrounding community. The Series remains a welcomed regular feature of musical life in Richmond’s West End. Past performances have included organ recitals by some of the best practitioners of the art such as John Scott, Organist-Choirmaster, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London and Frederick Swann, former organist at Riverside Church, New York; vocal and instrumental recitals by such artists as Eugenia Zuckerman, and performances by well-known chamber ensembles such as the Shanghai and Manhattan string quartets.

E. Carl Freeman Concert Series presents
2023-2024 Season

All concerts are held in the Sanctuary. Please note the differing start times.

Reserve your FREE tickets on Eventbrite. All concerts are free unless noted otherwise.

Additional concerts may be announced throughout the season. They will be listed here and tickets will be available on Eventbrite.

Typically, concerts are not livestreamed. Concerts may be recorded and posted to our YouTube channel at a later time, but it is based on the performers’ discretion and contracts.

Washington National Cathedral Choir
“Camino di Santiago – The Road Home”
Michael McCarthy, conductor
Sunday, August 27, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.

Voice Recital—Rhonda AbouHana, soprano
Saturday, September 9, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
Doors open at 6:15 p.m.

Vox Humana
William Bradley Roberts, director
Sunday, October 15, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.

All Saints’ Sunday Worship
Zoltan Kodaly—Missa Brevis
Sunday, November 5, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.

Special Music for Worship
River Road Chancel Choir
Stefan Palm, guest organist

Organ Recital—Stefan Palm
Sunday, November 5, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.
Rottenburg, Germany

Annual Advent/Christmas Concert
Handel’s Messiah (Advent/Christmas portion)
River Road Chancel Choir with Orchestra
Sunday, December 3, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

When You Wish Upon A Star:
A King’s Singers Christmas
Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets required—only sold via Virginia Arts Festival 
Tickets $55/person (member-only pricing available; promo code emailed 9/12/23)
Tickets on sale now

The William and Mary Choir
Dr. Daniel Parks, director
Sunday, February 25, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Furman Singers
Dr. Stephen Gusukuma, director
Saturday, March 2, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Music of J. S. Bach
Sunday, March 24, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Cantata 54 – Widerstehe doch der Sünde
Charles Humphries, countertenor

Harpsichord Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056
Robert Gallagher, harpsichord

Cantata 182 – Himmelskönig, sei willkommen
Vox Humana and soloists
William Bradley Roberts, director

The Tallis Scholars
Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets required—only sold via Eventbrite
Tickets $40/person
Tickets on sale now

Choral Evensong
The Choirs of River Road Church and St. Stephen’s Church

Sunday, June 2, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.

Support the E. Carl Freeman Concert Series

We invite you to support the Concert Series by attending as many programs as possible and by making a financial contribution. Although the series receives a grant from the church and partial support from a free will offering taken at each performance, individual donors provide a large and critical part of our funding. Contribution checks should be made payable to River Road Church, Baptist – please designate “Concert Series” on the check. All gifts are tax deductible. Please note that some concert goers prefer to make advance credit card contributions when they reserve their free tickets through the website, Eventbrite, allowing us to obtain email addresses of concert goers. It provides us with an additional way to keep in touch with our audience, as well as plan for the number of program attendees.

RRCB Email Communications

If you aren’t currently receiving electronic ministry newsletters and other timely electronic communications from River Road Church, please sign up here today. Especially now, your ministerial staff is diligently working to keep us connected as a church family while we are physically apart, and we want you to have the latest news as soon as it’s available. After signing up, please check your email; in order to receive emails from the church, you must confirm your subscription.

Sign up and choose any or all:

  • Children 0-5 — children’s ministry updates and information
  • River Road Church, Baptist — e-Spire (weekly church news) on Tuesdays, prayer-focused email on Wednesday, Thoughtful Faith Community supper reminder on Thursdays, and worship reminder on Fridays.
  • Youth Parents & Students — youth ministry updates and information

Music Ministry

The music program at RRCB

Adult Choirs

Chancel Choir, Chancel Bell Choir, & Choral Scholars

Children's & Youth Choirs

Children’s Choirs, River Road Camerata, Youth Choirs, & Youth Choir JAM

Musical Instruments

Sanctuary, Möller Organ, Chapel Organ, & Grand Pianos