Of Joy Illumined

December 12, 2026 • 5:00pm
First Congregational Church of Evanston
1445 Hinman Ave, Evanston

Audience reception to follow concert, please join us!

December 13, 2026 • 3:00pm
St. Paul’s UCC
2335 N Orchard Street, Chicago

Concert Broadcast
December 20, 2026

Concert Receptions
Join your fellow audience members, singers, CCC board and staff for a light wine & cheese reception following each Saturday evening performance! Have a chance to catch up with singers, talk about your favorite piece on the program, and enjoy the CCC community. 

Thank you to our reception sponsors ROGERS PARK SOCIAL AND PROVISIONS

What is a Sacred Place? 

This concert explores the enormity of this question. We explore the tension between sacred and secular, with music that seeks both inclusiveness and vulnerability. Composers include JS Bach, Ayanna Woods, Giovanni Gabrieli, and Eric Whitacre.

Derrick Skye’s Black Ocean shows us that our human experience is simultaneously “... vast and open, yet intimate and personal.” The piece includes elements of Hindustani classical music as well as tunings and rhythms that draw on West African fiddle music.

Alex Berko’s Sacred Place anchors this program. In this work he explores ecological themes through the outline of a Jewish service. Instead of prayers, the text is made up of the poetry of various writers and thinkers who speak of the environment as a place of safety, comfort, and beauty.

We are excited to collaborate with the Khelsey Zarraga Quartet and our Principal Accompanist, Talar Khosdeghian, to bring this music to life.

Begin your journey with CCC this season exploring this sacred place.

Program

I’m Building Me a Home - Anthony Trecek-King

Black Ocean - Derrick Skye

Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf - Bach

Sainte-Chapelle - Whitacre

Jubilate Deo - Gabrieli

Sacred Place - Alex Berko

Empty Thundercloud - Ayanna Woods

Collaborating Artists

Khelsey Zarraga Quartet

Khelsey Zarraga, violin

Anya Brumfield, violin

Wilfred Farquharson, viola

Tahirah Whittington, cello

Talar Khosdeghian, piano

Tickets

  • Adult: $32

  • Student (13+): $15

  • Kids 12 and under: FREE

  • Group (11 people or more): $25

  • Broadcasts: $15 suggested donation

Parking and Transit Options

Saturday at First Congregational Church of Evanston

The building is just east of Raymond Park, between Grove and Lake streets.

Parking

Ample street parking is available on the streets around the church.

Transit

We are walking distance from the Dempster Purple Line stop.

Sunday at St. Paul’s UCC, Chicago

Parking

The church parking lot is at 634 W Kemper Pl.

  • All parking is first-come, first-served, with the below exceptions. 

  • The east half of the parking lot is rented to Lincoln Elementary on school year weekdays from 8am to 4pm.

  • There are reserved parking spaces on the west side of the parking lot for renters, from 4pm to 8am. 

  • Additional parking is available at the Lincoln Common Parking Garage, located just a block away at 2316 N. Lincoln Ave. Rates and additional information can be found on Parking.com.

Transit

Accessible from the Fullerton station with the Brown, Red, and Purple lines.

Support

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.