The 44th annual Old North Festival Chorus Christmas Concerts, presented each year as part of Marblehead’s Christmas Walk, will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of the historic Old North Church Meeting House, 35 Washington St., Marblehead, Massachusetts.
Highlights of the December 2024 Festival Chorus Concerts, featuring the chorus and full orchestra, include Magnificat in D by Jan Dismas Zelenka, Vom Himmel Hoch by Felix Mendelssohn, International Carol Suites: Carols of the Americas by Mark Hayes, Bellringer’s Holiday (including the Ukrainian Bell Carol) arranged by Randol Bass, Christmas Day by Gustav Holst, and other seasonal favorites.
Soloists for the Festival Chorus Holiday concerts include Holly Cameron, soprano; Anne Burgett, soprano; Stephanie Scarcella, mezzo-soprano; Kevin Hayden, tenor; and Andrew Scoglio, baritone. The Old North Festival Orchestra, soloists, and 70-voice chorus will be led by Maria van Kalken, minister of music at Old North Church, who celebrates her 36th season as director of the Festival Chorus.
Picturesque Marblehead offers the perfect holiday backdrop for the popular Festival Chorus concerts. The entire town is transformed into an enchanted village, with shop owners offering hot cider and cheer, holiday music delighting shoppers, and the not-to-be-missed Festival Chorus concerts.
The Festival Chorus brings together Old North’s senior choir with enthusiastic singers—from amateurs to professionals—from many neighboring communities in Marblehead. Each season, the Festival Chorus welcomes new voices while maintaining a devoted ensemble from previous years. This season’s chorus totals more than 80 participants. Encouraged by a love for music and a reputation as the North Shore’s most spirited and talented volunteer choirs, the Festival Chorus & Orchestra has been lauded for its outstanding performances of major choral works each year.
Director Maria van Kalken holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from the Oberlin and New England Conservatories of Music, primarily under the tutelage of the late Yuko Hayashi and Donald Teeters. She has also studied abroad in Amsterdam and Pistoia.
Tickets for the Festival Chorus performances are $35 and may be purchased in advance at the following Marblehead business locations: Arnould Gallery, Maria’s Gourmet, and Crosby’s Marketplace. Tickets are also available online at www.onchurch.org/festivalchorus. The performances will last approximately 90 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission.
To reserve tickets by phone or for additional information, call 781-608-2782. Information is also available on the Old North Festival Chorus website: www.oldnorthfestivalchorus.org.
The Old North Festival Chorus is supported in part by a grant from the Marblehead Cultural Council, as administered through the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Old North Church is accessible to those with physical impairments.