Vivaldi by Candlelight Concert

Thank you to everyone who supported this year's Vivaldi by Candlelight concert. We look forward to seeing you again in 2023.

Crème de la Crème: 40th Anniversary Fireworks

To celebrate our 40th year presenting the Vivaldi by Candlelight fundraising concert, Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy is bringing you the crème de la crème of the Baroque Era. This year's program features masterpieces by arguably the four greatest composers of their era - Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, Arcangelo Corelli, and George Frideric Handel - while reflecting UCCD's mission of fostering respect and understanding among all people in the world.

Our concert grand finale, Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks, was commissioned by King George II to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapel in 1748, bringing an end to the War of the Austrian Succession and restoring peace to Europe. An estimated audience of 12,000 attended the outdoor premiere, at which a massive fireworks display followed the performance. Though the fireworks were a disaster, the music became an immediate favorite that continues to this day.

The Vivaldi by Candlelight concert’s fireworks will be exclusively musical, with an expanded Baroque orchestra of strings, winds, brass, timpani, and a guitarlike instrument you may never have heard of, the theorbo. Set to candlelit ambiance and with a message of peace and universal friendship, we cordially invite you to share our message.

For questions about the Vivaldi by Candlelight concert, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Program

Fanfares, Première Suite de Symphonies………………….……Jean-Joseph Mouret (1682-1738)
Concerto in B Minor, RV580 for four violins and strings………..…Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1743)
Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068………………...…..………J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Op. 6 No. 8 “Christmas Concerto”...Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)
Music for the Royal Fireworks………………………...……George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Why Support Vivaldi by Candlelight

Music diplomacy is an effective form of cultural diplomacy. As a universal language that breaks down language barriers and cultural differences, music can help a community understand world affairs. Music promotes cooperation, understanding, and mutual respect among people, communities, and nations, thus contributing to a culture of peace and social cohesion. For 40 years, UCCD has hosted the Vivaldi by Candlelight concerts as our music diplomacy program - a program that has inspired more than 15,000 people in the community to the concept of citizen diplomacy - we all have the right and responsibility to help shape foreign relations one handshake at a time. Or, in this case, one piece of music at a time.

Your support of our annual Vivaldi by Candlelight Concert - a signature fundraising event - directly supports our programs and mission, and a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible. Through our International Exchange Program, annually, we welcome numerous global leaders to Utah to explore and share ideas that make the world a better place for everyone. We encourage you as the listener to wonder what would the world be like without the freedom to engage and shake hands with those around the world and know that you are directly supporting the efforts to find more peaceful and prosperous world.

Featuring Special Guest

Music Director

Gerald Elias_Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy_Vivaldi by Candlelight Gerald Elias, music director of Vivaldi by Candlelight since 2004, is a former violinist with the Boston Symphony and associate concertmaster of the Utah Symphony. He is also the author of the Daniel Jacobus mystery series, and his short stories and essays have been published in distinguished journals and anthologies. Make sure to check out his website.

FAQ

Please contact us if your tickets have been lost or stolen.
Tickets may be given or exchanged to others.
No children under 8 are allowed.
Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, and audible alerts. Photography and recording of any kind are strictly prohibited during performances.
Tickets may be fully refunded with the exception of the processing fee until November 18. Please remember this is a fundraising event and we need plenty of time to continue selling tickets.
If the performance is canceled, you will be fully refunded.
Tickets to the performances are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
By attending a performance, you agree to follow the Covid-19 mitigation protocols in place.
Parking around the First Presbyterian Church can be difficult to find. For this reason, doors open at 7:00 P.M. with the concert starting promptly at 8:00 P.M. to allow you plenty of time to find parking and your seats.
ADA Access can be found off of the C Street entrance.

COVID 19 POLICY

After 40 years of Vivaldi by Candlelight concerts, we at UCCD are excited to celebrate this momentous occasion with music lovers for this holiday tradition. UCCD will no longer require proof of vaccination, negative Covid-19 tests, or face coverings at our performances. Face coverings continue to be highly recommended as an effective way to prevent the spread of illness at indoor gatherings, and we encourage performance attendees to get vaccinated and boosted to protect our community from Covid-19.

Doors will open at 7:00 P.M. The performance will begin promptly at 8:00 P.M. This will give us plenty of time to welcome you and help you find your seats. We encourage you to arrive early to allow plenty of time for parking and check-in.