Choral Arts Gala!

On Monday night we headed to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall for the 37th annual Holiday Concert and Gala benefiting the Choral Arts Society of Washington! We snapped American Red Cross Chair Bonnie Hunter with Cushman Wakefield's Catherine Jones, a Choral Arts Finance Committee member.

Each year, the Choral Arts Society brings together Washington’s most prominent business, political and cultural leaders to celebrate the holidays and raise critical funds for its artistic and outreach programs. Here Choral Arts patron Rob Liberatore and his wife, former Choral Arts executive director Debra Kraft, join Choral Arts Artistic Director Scott Tucker while enjoying the pre-gala reception and silent auction. 

Prior to the reception and gala, guests enjoyed a wonderful performance in the Concert Hall from the Choral Arts' chorus featuring classic Christmas music as well as several Finnish pieces in honor of the Embassy of Finland's patronage. Here is Lena Boman, the wife of the Dutch Ambassador, with the gala's honorary patron, Finnish Ambassador Kirsti Kauppi, and the wife of the Swiss ambassador, Anita Dahinden. 

Following the reception, guests headed into the beautifully decorated gala. Guests enjoyed a delicious Finnish-themed three-course dinner featuring arctic char and lakkakakku, a traditional Finnish dessert. Here: Katherine Mason with Rep. Jim Costa join the evening's Gala chair, Levick's Julie Chase.

During the gala, guests enjoyed a full open bar, including an ice sculpture that also served as a chilling device for the array of Finnish vodka available. Here are lobbyist Brett Levanto, and his wife, Booz Allen Hamilton's Holly Levanto, with Loudoun County Public Schools' My-Van Nguyen. 

Following dinner, guests danced well past midnight, creating a high note for the holiday season. Here, Choral Arts patrons: Pamela and Richard Hinds with Rick and Molly Rolandi. 

Here: cattle rancher Kurt Ahlman with Kattle One Beef Co.'s Theresa Wood and Flaneura Wines' Marty Doerschlag.