Chiarina’s Family Concert Brings Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” to Capitol Hill

Chiarina will present a family concert of Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on Sunday, May 17 at 2:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church, 301 A St. SE on Capitol Hill. The program uses an original adaptation by musicologist and children’s book author Anna Harwell Celenza to tell the story behind the four concerti and the Venetian pupils who first performed them, according to HillRag. The performance is aimed at families and younger listeners.

The adaptation reframes Vivaldi’s set of four violin concerti as a narrative suitable for children, pairing musical performance with storytelling to introduce core elements of baroque music. The organizers describe the program as educational as well as entertaining, designed to help audiences hear and understand how the seasonal music maps onto scenes and characters.

Adaptation and audience

Anna Harwell Celenza is credited as the author of the adaptation; she is identified in the event listing as a musicologist and a children’s book author. The format is intended to engage pupils and families through a blend of narration and live playing, making a long-standing classical work accessible to a younger demographic. The presentation follows a growing pattern of neighborhood ensembles and churches programming family-focused classical events.

Chiarina’s approach places emphasis on local community access. Holding the concert at St. Mark’s Church situates the performance within walking distance of many Capitol Hill residents and nearby neighborhoods, underscoring how small local venues are being used to expand cultural and educational offerings beyond traditional concert halls.

Where and when

The concert will be held at St. Mark’s Church, 301 A St. SE, on Sunday, May 17 at 2:30 p.m. The event notice lists it as a family concert, and the HillRag entry serves as the primary public announcement for the neighborhood. Details on tickets or suggested donations were not included in the announcement; interested readers are directed to the event listing for registration or contact information.

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is a familiar entry point to baroque music for new listeners; this adaptation aims to bridge historical context and live performance for families. By bringing the program to a Capitol Hill parish, organizers are using an accessible community setting to broaden audience exposure to classical repertoire.

Look for whether Chiarina expands this family-format programming or partners with schools and neighborhood groups after this concert, and check local listings for similar community concerts in area churches and small venues.