Paul Winter's Winter Solstice Celebration

The 43rd Paul Winter’s Winter Solstice Celebration is at the Cathedral of St John the Divine, Fri-Sun, Dec 16-18, 2022. solsticeconcert.com [To Be Confirmed]

Paul Winter’s Winter Solstice Celebration

This is an annual multicultural holiday show at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. It is a contemporary interpretation of ancient solstice rituals that welcome back the sun from the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice.

The show is centered around the 10-member Paul Winter Consort, but usually features gospel singer Theresa Thomason, and the 25 dancers and drummers of the Forces of Nature Dance Theatre. Mr. Winter demonstrates an innate understanding of where jazz music traditions come from. “Forces of Nature” is code for Yoruba and related traditions of West Africa. Thomason’s gospel is part of what happened when British colonizers took away the drum.

This concert is an unforgettable lifetime experience. The hall is so big and the music so rich. Winter also produces the equally magical Paul Winter’s Summer Solstice Celebration in June.

Paul Winter

Paul Winter is a seven-time Grammy winning Jazz saxophonist. Winter’s band was the first Jazz band to play the White House (for President Kennedy). Winter was working in Brazil when Bossa Nova hit in the 1960s. He was part of that. Winter was also one of the early artists working in World music and later in Earth music.

Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is the longest night / shortest day of the year. In prehistory, it was a moment of fear that the sun would disappear forever. The Winter Solstice is the root of northern winter holiday traditions like Christmas.

Cathedral of St. John the Divine

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine is one of the largest churches in the world. It’s interior provides some incredible acoustics. It’s been a space for sacred music since Duke Ellington’s Second Sacred Concert in 1968. Paul Winter is an artist-in-residence.

42nd Solstice Celebration 2021

The 42nd Paul Winter’s Winter Solstice Celebration, Solstice Saga, premieres as a livestream Fri-Sun, Dec 17-19 and is then available on demand to June 15, 2022. $20. stellartickets.com 🇧🇷🇲🇱🇺🇸

41st Solstice Celebration 2020

Paul Winter’s 41st Winter Solstice Celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is live streaming Saturday, December 19, 2020 at solsticeconcert.com $20. This year’s theme is “Everybody Under the Sun.”

40th Solstice Celebration 2019

This celebration is Thursday-Saturday, December 19-21, 2019 at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights, Manhattan. From $38 (Students $15)

Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 at solsticeconcert.com