Live Concert Series In Old Town OK'd By Alexandria City Council

ALEXANDRIA, VA — On Saturday, Alexandria City Council voted 7-0 for a special use permit to allow Classical Movements to hold live concerts. With the approval, Classical Movements will host socially-distanced live concerts and recitals from March 27 to Aug. 27.

The 40-concert series "Sounds of Hope & Harmony" will be held at the Secret Garden at Classical Movements' home at the Rectory at 711 Princess Street. The hour-long programs will be presented for socially-distanced, masked audiences, with performances including chamber music, recitals by instrumental and opera performers, choral programs, jazz, dance and more. Up to 56 seats will be spaced for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerts will happen at different start times on Thursdays and Saturdays.

After the COVID-19 pandemic halted performances, Classical Movements first brought back classical music in June 2020 and later held a live choral concert in an outdoor, socially-distanced fashion at its home at the Rectory on Princess Street. Following that success, Classical Movements held 40 concerts through the summer series "Sounds of Hope & Harmony" and the autumn and winter series "Sounds of Joy & Light."

With the special use permit application, Classical Movements also sought an indoor restaurant and outdoor dining use on a limited basis. Its Savory Soirees will be four special events combining performances with multi-course gourmet meals and wine pairings. The events will include Elizabethan lute music for Shakespeare’s birthday in April, a cabaret program for Mother’s Day weekend brunch in May, French opera, art song, food, and wine for Bastille Day in July, and a bandoneon program of Piazzolla and other Tango with an Argentinian dinner in August.

One key consideration with the special use permit approval was noise level. The city's noise ordinance limits noise levels to 60 decibels at the property lines.

Under the approval, outdoor entertainment would end by 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday. Indoor noise reaching the property line would need to end by 9 p.m.

City Council also adopted a staff recommendation for the applicant to hire an acoustic consultant to measure the decibel level at the property line after the third performance. This measurement would be taken to ensure noise stays within the 60 decimal limit. If the noise level is above the limit, the applicant would be required to submit a mitigation plan to the city.

Mayor Justin Wilson said an update to the city's noise ordinance has been in the works for a while and requested an update. Transportation & Environmental Services Director Yon Lambert noted staff had been working on it in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the focus to other things. Wilson called for a work session for staff to present what they have so far on the noise ordinance update to City Council.

In public testimony, two residents spoke in opposition to the Classical Movements proposal, with one citing the noise of Classical Movements' shows heard from his house. City Council also heard public testimony from others supportive of the live concerts.

"My wife and I support this application enthusiastically for a lot of different reasons," said William Cromley, who lives on the same block as the venue. "One, it brings in a diverse and innovative business but it also they're also doing a public service not just to the city by allowing these delightful concerts, but they're also upholding an industry that was devastated by the pandemic, giving a venue for musicians who haven't been able to play elsewhere."

Cromley agreed with the mayor that the city's noise ordinance needs to be updated. He believes there should be a distinction between unpleasant noises and noises such as the music heard at the venue.

"Those are good noises, and noises we want to hear. We wouldn't want to hear them 24/7, but they're certainly part of living in the city," said Cromley.

James Ross of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra spoke to the negative impacts the pandemic has had on performers.

"Since last March, most arts organizations canceled their entire schedules, artists across the board abruptly lost all their work and income, 90 percent of classical musicians are now unemployed," said Ross.

Ross said Classical Movements' concerts last year provided a beacon of hope for the industry. Alexandria Symphony Orchestra started free outdoor performances starting in May 2020 at Goodwin House Alexandria, followed by others at senior communities, parks, street fairs and backyards. The orchestra held its only for-profit live event in October at Classical Movements' venue. He said outdoor performances remain the safe option for both performers and audience members.

"Until October, when we expect that a return to indoor live concerts will be possible at very reduced capacity, the importance of Classical Movements outdoor concerts for our city remains paramount," said Ross.

For more information on the live concert series and tickets, visit www.classicalmovements.com/secretgardenconcerts

Classical Movements Show Schedule

• Saturday, March 27, 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m.: Season Opener: “Spring Comes On the World” – Chamber Music
• Saturday, April 3, 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m.: “A Garden Full of Angels” – Easter with Brass
• Saturday, April 10, 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m.: “Un solo istante” – Opera and Art Song
• Saturday, April 17, 4 p.m., 7 p.m.: Savory Soiree: “The Food of Love” – An Earth Day Celebration of Shakespeare
• Saturday, April 24, 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m.: “When Bach Met Bloch”
• Saturday, May 1, 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m.: “Mendelssohn in May” – Chamber Music
• Saturday, May 8, 11 a.m., 2 p.m.: Savory Soiree: “With a Song in My Heart: A Hymn to Mothers’ Grace”
• Thursday, May 13, 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m.: “Esperanza y Armonía”
• Thursday, May 20, 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m.: “Meditations and Fantasies”
• Thursday, May 27, 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m.: “Off-Stage: Musical Gems from the Opera and Ballet” – Chamber Music
• Thursday, June 3, 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m.: “I Hear America Singing”
• Thursday, June 10, 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m.: “A Haunting Refrain: Jazz in June”
• Thursday, June 17, 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m.: Juneteenth Celebration: “Day of Jubilee!”
• Thursday, July 1, 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m.: “Contemporary Delights” – Chamber Music
• Saturday, July 10, 4 p.m., 7 p.m.: Savory Soiree: “Liberté chérie: A Bastille Day Celebration”
• Thursday, July 29, 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m.: “Bold as Brass” – Chamber Music
• Thursday, Aug. 5, 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m.: “A Caruso and Lanza Celebration” with Errin Duane Brooks
• Saturday, Aug. 14, 4 p.m., 7 p.m.: Savory Soiree: “Two to Tango: Celebrating Piazzolla at 100”
• Thursday, Aug. 26, 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m.: “Beautiful, Poetic Strings” – Chamber Music