Holiday Music, $5 Admission, and Special Café Menu Highlight the Night

Winchester, VA 12/19/13…Acclaimed dulcimer player Madeline MacNeil will perform holiday concerts at 6 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 21, at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV).

For Saturday’s concert, the galleries and Museum Store will be open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., and the Museum Café by Bonnie Blue will serve a special dinner menu from 5 to 8 p.m.  Concert admission—which includes admission to the galleries—is free to MSV Members and youth ages 12 and under and is just $5 for all others.

Renowned for her beautiful voice and dulcimer skills, MacNeil’s repertoire includes classical, Celtic, jazz, and traditional Appalachian music. Her MSV performances will feature songs of Christmas and the New Year. A Shenandoah Valley favorite, Madeline MacNeil began performing in 1972 in Shenandoah National Park. Since that time, she has performed throughout the United States and internationally. Notable venues include The Barns at Wolf Trap, the Glasgow Festival of the Arts in Scotland, and the O’Carolan Festival in Keadue, County Roscommon, Ireland. In addition, she has recorded more than a dozen independent releases, and her recording of “Shenandoah,” her signature song, has been used extensively in public television productions.

Before or after enjoying the music, attendees are encouraged to visit the galleries and browse in the Museum Store. Also on Friday night, wine and beer will be available for purchase in the lobby for $5 a glass, and the Museum Café will offer a special dinner menu. The evening’s selections will include: a cup of the soup of the day ($4); fresh-fruit plate with honey drizzle ($6); salad of roasted local beets and goat cheese, pomegranate, and candied walnuts ($8); roasted chicken pot pie with a side salad ($9); a pork shank braised with red wine and served with mashed potatoes and green beans ($14); Louisiana-style jambalaya with smoked sausage ($12); and a domestic cheese plate ($9). A selection of desserts also will be offered.

Those interested in attending the concert are encouraged to arrive early, as seating is limited and concert tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets for the performances will be available at the Visitor Information Desk beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Along with enjoying the music, those attending the event may also celebrate one of the Shenandoah Valley’s most widely known cultural icons by touring Becoming Patsy Cline in the MSV Changing Exhibitions Gallery. On view through July 6, 2014, the special exhibition was organized by the MSV in partnership with the Winchester-based organization Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc. (CPC). Becoming Patsy Cline uses objects, rare photographs, video and audio recordings, and clothing—much of which is on first-time public display—to illustrate Patsy Cline’s Shenandoah Valley story. Becoming Patsy Cline received critical underwriting support from Grove’s Winchester Harley–Davidson, Shenandoah Country Q102, and Winchester Printers, Inc.

The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley is located at 901 Amherst Street in Winchester, Virginia. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, the MSV will be closed December 24 and 25, and January 1. In conjunction with the First Night Winchester New Year’s Eve celebration of the arts, the MSV will be open on Tuesday, December 31, for gallery tours and family-oriented daytime entertainment. Admission is not required to visit the Museum Store, which is open during regular museum hours. Additional information about holiday activities and events at the MSV are available at www.theMSV.org or by calling 540-662-1473, ext. 235.