St. Cecilia Chamber Choir will present its popular annual Lessons and Carols Christmas concerts on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 3:00 p.m. at Damariscotta Baptist Church, and Saturday, Dec. 14 at 3:00 p.m. at Bowdoin College Chapel in Brunswick. Linda Blanchard is St. Cecilia’s artistic director, assisted by organist Sean Fleming. Advance tickets are strongly encouraged for these concerts. “You were as good as ever!” “The whole thing was just beautiful!” “I’m so glad we came!” are a few of the audience comments from last year’s concerts.

A beautiful new setting of the Gerard Manley Hopkins poem “The Bethlehem Star” by former King’s Singers member Bob Chilcott will be featured. The John Rutter favorites “What Sweeter Music” and “There Is a Flower” will be performed, as well as Richard Francis’ ever-popular “People, Look East” based on Eleanor Farjeon’s Christmas poem. The Choir will sing a setting of the Thomas Hardy poem “The Oxen” by Richard Francis’ father Keith Francis. Also featured will be “This Day Christ Was Born” by the prolific Elizabethan composer William Byrd. A professional string quartet will accompany the group on select pieces. As a special treat, Eric Whitacre’s “Glow,” composed for the “World of Color – Winter Dreams” show which premiered at Disney California Adventure Park in California, will be performed.

With audience sing-along caroling using several of David Willcocks’ arrangements, this concert is sure to be a treat for the whole family.

Tickets are $20 for the Damariscotta Baptist Church concert and $25 for the Bowdoin Chapel concert. Admission is free for students and children. Tickets are available online at ceciliachoir.org, and at Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop in Damariscotta. For more information, please email info@ceciliachoir.org, or visit facebook.com/stceciliachamberchoir and ceciliachoir.org.