The Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Family Band perform a special holiday concert in Fredericksburg, Virginia, with the award-winning University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kevin Bartram. The concert celebrates the holiday season and the winter solstice, when families gather around hearth and home, and is titled "Darkest Days, Brightest Nights." The music would be best described as Americana, and is a collection of traditional and original tunes with winter themes. Also performed is Ungar's "Ashokan Farewell" which is widely recognized as the theme music for The Civil War series. It was in Fredericksburg, in December, that some of the bloodiest battles were fought, but that holiday period also gave rise to Northern and Confederate troops singing Christmas carols to each other and having snowball fights. Interviews with the musicians and documentary footage of historic Fredericksburg is included. Jay Ungar and Molly Mason are best known for their award winning musical collaborations on Ken Burns' documentaries. Jay is regarded as one of America's best fiddlers. Ruthie Ungar and her husband Mike Merenda were previously members of The Mammals. The concert was produced and directed by four-time Emmy award winner Jim Brown.
