Founded in 1975 as the 20th Century Consort, the group became a resident ensemble at the Smithsonian Institution three years later. In its concerts at historic St. Mark’s on Capitol Hill, at the Hirshhorn Museum and at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Consort has presented exciting programs frequently related to museum exhibitions, featuring music by a diverse array of living composers – often world premieres – along with 20th century classics.

Under the direction of its founder and conductor, Christopher Kendall, the Consort’s artists include members of the National Symphony Orchestra and other prominent chamber musicians from Washington, D.C. and elsewhere. The ensemble is managed by Boyd Sarratt.

For over forty-five years the Consort’s concerts have been professionally recorded and archived, complementing the Consort’s produced studio recordings. This vast, living archive is permanently preserved at the University of Maryland, and can be heard without charge on our archive page, where it can be searched for any concert, composition or composer.

To read more about us, click here. And to see our full concert season, click here.

  • Time Stands Still

    December 52026

    NOTE CHANGE OF LOCATION TO: Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building

    John Dowland
    Time Stands Still for soprano, alto, tenor and bass (performed from a balcony)
    Balinese Gamelan
    Tabuh Pat Jagul (performed from the west transept)
    Magister Perotin
    Viderunt Omnes for 4 voices (performed from the east transept)
    Juri Seo
    America the Beautiful for solo piano (on stage at the crossing)
    Steve Reich
    Music for 18 Musicians for violin, cello, 2 clarinets, 4 voices, 4 pianos, 3 marimbas, 2 xylophones and vibraphone