Weekend Concert Calendar, 12/11/08

So, I apologize for falling down on the job for the past few weeks; sadly, I missed telling you about some good concerts last week. But never fear, it's December, so there are always more!

First off, Anthology is presenting our second (and final) Christmas concert Friday! That's probably today, depending on when you are reading this. We will be concentrating on Christmas music of America, although there will also be the occasional side trip to England, France and Spain for some familiar beloved carols, and some new gems. With Christmas music ranging from early American shape-note tunes to George Gershwin, from medieval chant to jazz standards, we will have all the variety you could wish for. 8:00 pm, Dec. 12, 2008 at Third Life Studios, 33 Union Square, Somerville, MA (in the heart of Union Square.) Really. That's the address. I promise. Admission will be $15 for adults and $5 for children.

Aaaand...here's what the rest of our fair choral city will be up to! EVERYONE is singing this weekend. It's quite a list, so the entries will be a bit more brisk than usual - click on any group's name to learn more about their program.

Friday:

At 8:00 pm, Anthology will present a FANTASTIC Christmas concert! 8:00 pm, Dec. 12, 2008 at Third Life Studios, 33 Union Square, Somerville, MA (in the heart of Union Square.) Please come!

At 8:00 pm, the Boston Cecilia and Exsultemus will present a joint Christmas concert called "Christmas in England: Ancient & Modern." This will be at the Church of the Advent, 30
Brimmer St., Boston (in the heart of Beacon Hill.) They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.

At 7:30 pm, Boston Baroque will perform Handel's Messiah. At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA. They will be repeating this performance on Saturday.

At 7:30 pm, the Quincy Choral Society will present "Music for a Festive Season." At Sacred Heart Church, Hancock Street, N. Quincy, MA. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.

At 7:30 pm, the Reading Community Singers will present their holiday concert. At Old South Methodist Church, 6 Salem St., Reading, MA. They will be repeating this concert Saturday afternoon.

At 8:00 pm, the Boston Conservatory will present an evening of new chamber music. Featured works will be by faculty member Rudolf Rojahn and Igor Iwanek. Among the works will be a world premiere of a piece for women's vocal ensemble. At Seully Hall, The Boston Conservatory, 8 The Fenway, Boston.

At 8:00 pm, Chorus North Shore will present a Christmas concert, including Bach's Magnificat. At St Richard’s Church, 90 Forest St., Danvers, MA. They will be repeating this concert on Saturday.

At 8:00 pm, the Boston Camerata will present "The Brotherhood of the Star: A Hispanic Christmas 1300-1700." At Follen Church, 755 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington. They will be repeating this concert on Saturday and Sunday.

At 8:00 pm, Stämbandet will be performing the music of Christmas and the Winter Solstice in Scandinavia. At The Westford Museum, 2-4 Boston Road, Westford, MA. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.

Saturday:

At 10:30 am and also at 2:00 pm, the Boston Children's Chorus will join the Back Bay Ringers for a free holiday concert in Faneuil Hall, Boston. Fanueil Hall is at...well, come on people. You know where Fanueil Hall is. Just get off the T at Government Center.

At 2:00 pm, the Reading Community Singers will present their holiday concert. At Old South Methodist Church, 6 Salem St., Reading, MA.

At 3:00 pm, the Cambridge Community Chorus will present their holiday concert. At Kresge Auditorium, MIT, 84 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA.

At 4:00 pm and also at 8:00 pm, the Concord Chorus will present a holiday concert titled "Et incarnatus est." This will be at the Middlesex School Memorial Chapel, 1400 Lowell Rd, Concord, MA.

At 7:30 pm, Boston Baroque will perform Handel's Messiah. At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA.

At 8:00 pm, the Cambridge Chamber Singers will present "A Time for Peace: Music and Poetry of the Season." This will be at Lindsey Chapel in Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury St., Boston. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.

At 8:00 pm, the Halalisa Singers will present "Raisins and Honey: Sweet Songs of Celebration." This will be at First Parish Lexington, 7 Harrington Rd, Lexington (right on the town green.) They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.

At 8:00 pm, Musica Sacra will present "A Boy is Born! The Christmas Story told in the Choral Music of Europe." Among other pieces, you will hear Schönberg's "Friede auf Erden" and Arvo Pärt's "Magnificat." This will be at First Church Congregational, 11 Garden St., Cambridge. And if you go, I will see you there!

At 8:00 pm, the Unicorn Singers and the Broad Cove Chorale will present "O Wondrous Night: The Nativity in Word and Song." This will be at the House of Prayer in Hingham, which I think is at 916 Main St, Hingham, MA. This concert will be repeated on Sunday at my church in Cohasset! These concerts benefit the Wellspring Multiservice Center in Hull.

At 8:00 pm, the Newburyport Choral Society & Orchestra will present selections from Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, along with music of the season. At the Belleville Congregational Church, 300 High St, Newburyport, MA.

At 8:00 pm, the Boston Camerata will present "The Brotherhood of the Star: A Hispanic Christmas 1300-1700." At First Church in Boston, 66 Marlborough St, Boston. They will be repeating this concert on Sunday.

At 8:00 pm, the Oriana Consort will present “Miracles of Winter: Choral music for Advent, Christmas, and Hanukkah.” Youth Pro Musica will also be featured on this concert. At First Lutheran Church, 299 Berkeley Street, Boston.

At 8:00 pm, Chorus North Shore will present a Christmas concert, including Bach's Magnificat. At Our Lady of Hope Church, Linebrook Rd., Ipswich, MA.

At 8:00 pm, In Choro Novo will present "Celestial Celebration." At Marsh Chapel at Boston University, 735 Commonwealth Ave., Boston.

Sunday:

At 3:00 pm, the Boston Cecilia and Exsultemus will present a joint Christmas concert called "Christmas in England: Ancient & Modern." This will be at All Saints Parish, 1773 Beacon St., Brookline. Two fantastic groups on one concert!

At 1:00 pm, the Arlington Street Church will host its second annual Carol Sing! At the Hunnewell Chapel, 351 Boyleston St, Boston.

At 2:00 pm, the Boston Gay Men's Chorus will present "Stars: A Holiday Celebration." At NEC's Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA.

At 2:30 pm, the Midcoast Symphony of Maine presents a Messiah sing-along. This will be at Orion Performing Arts Center, 66 Republic Ave., Topsham, ME. More information is here.

At 2:30 pm, the Newburyport Choral Society & Orchestra will present selections from Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, along with music of the season. At the Belleville Congregational Church, 300 High St, Newburyport, MA.

At 3:00 pm, the Halalisa Singers will present "Raisins and Honey: Sweet Songs of Celebration." This will be at First Parish Sudbury, 327 Concord Rd, Sudbury, MA.

At 3:00 pm, the Boston Boy Choir and St. Paul Men's Schola will present Britten's Ceremony of Carols. At 29 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA.

At 3:00 pm, the Trinity Church Choirs will present Handel's Messiah. At Trinity Church in Copley Square, 206 Clarendon St., Boston, MA.

At 3:00 pm, the Highland Glee Club will present a winter concert featuring various seasonal music. At the War Memorial Auditorium, Newton City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton.

At 3:00 pm, the Boston Camerata will present "The Brotherhood of the Star: A Hispanic Christmas 1300-1700." At First Church in Boston, 66 Marlborough St, Boston.

At 3:00 pm, the Paul Madore Chorale will present a holiday concert, joined by the choirs of Regis College and St. Anne Church. At St. Anne Church, 290 Jefferson Ave., Salem, MA.

At 3:00 pm, the Memorial Congregational Church of Sudbury presents its 35th annual Messiah Sing under the direction of Dr. Marjorie Ness. This will be at the Memorial Congregational Church, 26 Concord Rd, Sudbury, MA. More information is here.

At 3:00 pm, the Arlington-Belmont Chorale and Arlington Philharmonic Orchestra will present Handel's Messiah. At First Parish Arlington, 630 Mass Ave., Arlington, MA.

At 3:30 pm, the Assabet Valley Mastersingers present their annual Messiah sing under the direction of Dr. Robert Eaton. This will be at the Evangelical Congregational Church of Westborough, 8 Church St, Westborough, MA. More information is here.

At 4:00 pm, the student choirs at Solomon Schechter Day School will be “Celebrating Miracles” when they perform at a special concert with the Zamir Chorale of Boston. At the Solomon Schechter Day School, 125 Wells Ave, Newton, MA.

At 4:00 pm, Stämbandet will be performing the music of Christmas and the Winter Solstice in Scandinavia. At Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 24 Berwick Street, Norwood, MA.

At 4:00 pm, the Unicorn Singers and the Broad Cove Chorale will present "O Wondrous Night: The Nativity in Word and Song." This will be at First Parish Cohasset, 23 North Main St., Cohasset, MA. This concert, as well as their concert the night before, will benefit the Wellspring Multiservice Center in Hull.

At 4:00 pm, the Master Singers of Lexington will present a Mozart concert to celebrate the chorus's 40th anniversary season. This will be at First Parish Lexington, 7 Harrington Rd, Lexington (right on the town green.)

At 4:00 pm, the Braintree Choral Society will present their holiday concert, featuring selections from Mendelssohn's Saint Paul. At the Thayer Academy Performing Arts Center, 745 Washington St., Braintree, MA.

At 5:00 pm, the choirs of Old North Church will present Part I of Handel's Messiah. At Old North Church, 193 Salem St., Boston, MA.

At 7:00 pm, the Cambridge Chamber Singers will present "A Time for Peace: Music and Poetry of the Season." At St. John's Episcopal Church,74 Pleasant St., Arlington, MA.

At 7:00 pm, the Congregational Church of West Medford presents a Messiah sing-along. This will be at the Congregational Church of West Medford, UCC, 400 High St. (Rte. 60), Medford, MA. More information is here; the church's website is here.

At 7:30 pm, the Quincy Choral Society will present "Music for a Festive Season." At Sacred Heart Church, Hancock Street, N. Quincy, MA.

And finally (phew! is anybody still reading this?) on Monday, the Arlington-Belmont Chamber Chorus will present "A Not-Quite-Winter Concert" at 8:00 pm. At Payson Park Congregational, 365 Belmont St., Belmont, MA.