Here is what happened in past festivals.....

FOURTH ROCK CREEK FESTIVAL (Click here to see the Festival Day-by-Day and Program)

THIRD ROCK CREEK FESTIVAL (Click here to see the Festival Day-by-Day.)

The Second Rock Creek Festival - 2004

Take a look at the Rock Creek Festival 'Day-by- day' page, click here

The dates for the Second Rock Creek Festival were 13th through 19th June.  The Festival is under the Patronage of Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, The Mayor of Washington, Council Member Adrian Fenty and the British Ambassador.

Full details of the program are included on this page. The event began with Festival Evensong at 4.00pm on Sunday 13^th June. This was the first service in the restored historic St Paul’s Church. The church has been undergoing its first major restoration and refurnishing since the restoration after fire damage in the 1920s. The fine new Dobson organ was also revealed, and featured in some of the festival concerts.

To see progress on the new organ please visit the Dobson organ web page

For more organ information visit http://www.OrganSites.biz

The Festival featured two or three events each day. There was instrumental music of various styles at noon in the new Courtyard Garden and Gallery. These events - like the late evening events - were free of charge.

On Monday morning Jeanne Fogle of  A Tour de Force led a tour of the historic Churchyard, with its famous monuments and burials. The tour was limited to 30 particpants.

On Monday evening the main concert  featured music of the Caribbean, and early black composers. On Tuesday and Thursday there were chamber music concerts in the Great Hall and the Church. Later on Tuesday evening Graham Elliott talked to the celebrated English baritone, John Shirley Quirk in a program called 'Music in My Life'. They spoke of their mutual links with the music of Benjamin Britten. Members of the professional choir of St Paul's  performed part of 'A Charm of Lullabies' and some of the 'Choral Dances' from the opera Gloriana.

Wednesday’s activities were associated with the major celebration of America’s Greatest Generation, being held throughout the city during the summer months. There was an informal Cocktail Hour in the Gallery, with instrumental music of the 1940s, followed by a concert titled ‘GI Jive’ featuring the SingCo Rhythm Orchestra.

On Friday evening there was a presentation of Duke Ellington's 'Sacred Music', directed by Nolan Williams and Davey Yarborough, with Metropolitan Baptist Church Choir.

The Festival l concluded with a day of activity on Saturday, 19^th June. In the afternoon the historic Strawberry Festival - a feature of life at St Paul’s since the middle of the 19^th century - took place in the grounds and the buildings of the St Paul’s Center. There was music, food and fun for all ages. From 2.00pm until 9.00pm there was music and dance by a truly international lineup of performers, all in association with DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities Fête de la Musique.

The Festival came to a conclusion with a concert of 20^th century European music for choir, brass and organ. It featured the immensely popular ‘Gloria’ of John Rutter, and music by Benjamin Britten and William Walton.

During the Festival there was an exhibition of paintings in the Gallery, as well as sculpture in the new Courtyard Garden and a photographic exhibition in the Lobby of the St Paul's Center.

First Rock Creek Festival

The 2001 Rock Creek Festival was our gift to the Community. There was no fixed admission charge for any of the events. The second Rock Creek Festival is being planned for September 2003.  We would be pleased to add you to our mailing list.

Program and photos from the 2001 Festival

Sunday June 10, 2001
11.00am - Festival Service
In the presence of the British Ambassador
Sermon: The Very Revd Dr John Moses,
Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, London, England.

The Dean of St Paul's and the Rector of Rock Creek,
together with the British Ambassador after the service.

Monday June 11, 2001
11.00am - Coffee Hour
12.00 noon - Historic Rock Creek - The Fifes and Drums of Prince William III
1.00pm - Lunch
2.00pm - Craft Demonstration
7.30pm - Music for Two Organs - Neil Weston & Graham Elliott

Graham Elliott and Neil Weston

10.00pm - Music by Candlelight - Quartet for the End of Time - Messiaen

Tuesday June 12, 2001
11.00am - Coffee Hour
12.00 noon - Black American Composers 1896-1917 - MusicCrafters Ensemble

MusicCrafters Ensemble

1.00pm - Lunch
2.00pm - The Rock Creek Memorials - a guided exploration of the Historic Cemetery led by Jeanne Fogle.
7.30pm - The Eclipse Chamber Orchestra directed by Sylvia Alimena - music by Holst, Harris, and Mozart.

Eclipse Chamber Orchestra

Wednesday June 13, 2001   
11.00am - Coffee Hour
12.00 noon - Sousa-style - concert band music
1.00pm - Lunch
7.30pm - ArcoVoce - Early music ensemble - Nina Faulk (baroque violin); Rosa Lamoureaux (soprano); Stephanie Vial (baroque cello); Stephen Silverman (harpsichord) - music of J.S.Bach,G.F.Handel, and Isabella Leonarda.

Thursday June 14, 2001
11.00am - Coffee Hour
12.00 noon - Dixieland Band - John Jenkins (leader)
7.30pm - Tumen Ekh - Mongolian Dance and Music Group making their only appearance in Washington DC during their US tour. In the presence of the Mongolian Ambassador.

Tumen Ekh

Friday June 15, 2001   
7.30pm - An Evening with Duke Ellington - The Davey Yarborough Quartet featuring Esther Williams (vocalist)

Davey Yarborough

Saturday June 16, 2001   
2.00pm - Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Prize-winners' Concert
4.00pm - The Strawberry Festival - featuring Balafon (West African Dance Group) and the Rockville Concert Band.

The Rockville Concert Band

5:00pm - The Ground Breaking Ceremony for the commencement of the major renovation and extension of the Parish Hall.
7.30pm - The Coronation Anthems - George Frideric Handel - the all-professional Choir of St Paul’s, Rock Creek with orchestra directed by Dr Graham Elliott.

Handel Coronation Anthems

Festival Exhibition
Presented by the International Child Art Foundation

Other Activities

Gillian Weir Recital

The world famous recitalist, Dame Gillian Weir played the inaugural recital on the new Dobson organ, Wednesday, 6th October, 2004. The recital was promoted by the Rock Creek Festival.