The Concert Choir is beginning its 37th season with the theme “Bach and the Boys.”
The free winter concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the sanctuary of St. John’s Lutheran Church.
The show will Include J. S. Bach’s “Magnificat” and John Rutter’s “Gloria”. The Rowan Youth Symphony will be performing with the Concert Choir, playing a short prelude at the beginning of the concert and an interlude between the two choral pieces.
This community choir got its start in 1976 as a community outgrowth of the music ministry at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Karl Kinard, the music director at St. John at that time, was the first director and he led the choir for 20 years.
Catawba College graduate Matthew Newton currently leads the choir.
The Concert Choir performs major works, both secular and sacred, from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and modern eras. Past performances include Handel’s “Messiah” and Haydn’s “Creation.”
The members of the choir range in age from high school age to more than 80 years old, and represent a wide cross section of the community.
The Concert Choir will be welcoming new members for the spring concert. For information contact Mari Maristany at 704-433-4890.
KANNAPOLIS — Join the Southern Piedmont Singers for “I Wish You Christmas,” an evening of beloved Christmas and fun holiday music at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Kimball Memorial Lutheran Church, 101 Vance St.
Directed by Damien Evans and accompanied by Joel Everett, the program includes selections from Handel’s “Messiah,” the music of John Rutter and a few unique novelty pieces.
In lieu of admission, guests may bring a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. A love offering will be taken. A reception will follow in the Commons.
KANNAPOLIS/CONCORD — The Piedmont Choral Society will present Vivaldi’s “Gloria,” with orchestra, along with favorite Christmas carols at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13 at First Presbyterian Church, 201 Vance St., Kannapolis and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15 at Forest Hill UMC, 265 Union St. N., Concord.
The concerts are free.
Joe Judge is director and Carol Link Soles will accompany. A reception will follow the Sunday concert.
The FirstARTS series of First United Methodist Church, 217 S. Church St., will host its annual Fridays@First Advent Series, beginning this Friday with organ students from the studio of Professor Andrew Scanlon of East Carolina University.
Four students will present music of Bach, Cléambault, Guilmant, Messiaen, Vierne and Ives on the Parkey-Schantz pipe organ.
The series continues Dec. 13 with a concert of “Carol Covers” performed by the Lee Street theatre Singers and on Dec. 20 with a concert by Jonathan Johnson, tenor from the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
All concerts are free and begin at noon in the church sanctuary.
GOLD HILL — The E. H. Montgomery General Store in the Historic Village of Gold Hill will host a performance by the Efird Family of China Grove from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12.
The group will perform a variety of music including gospel, country and bluegrass.
The performance is a part of special music events scheduled at the Montgomery Store throughout the holiday season. The regular Montgomery Store Bluegrass Jam will be held on Friday, Dec. 13 and “A Banjo Christmas with Danny Bowers” will take place from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14.
For more information and a full schedule of events, visit themontgomerystore.com.
Join the Salisbury-Rowan Choral Society for musical journey around the world, exploring the ways and reasons various cultures celebrate during the winter season with music Saturday.
Bring a new, unwrapped toy to be donated to the children served by Rowan County Department of Social Services.
This is a free concert, held at St. John’s Lutheran Church in downtown Salisbury.
The St. John’s Men’s Chorus and two handbell ensembles will present “Come Let Us Adore Him,” a free concert, at 4 p.m. Sunday in the sanctuary of St. John’s Lutheran Church, 200 W. Innes St.
A freewill offering will be received to benefit Rowan Helping Ministries, and the performance will include a Christmas carol sing-along for the audience.
ALBEMARLE — The Singing Americans of Stanly County will celebrate the Christmas season with a free concert at 3 p.m. Sunday.
This year’s show is called “Appalachian Winter with Christmas Classics.”
The concert will be at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center, 26032 Newt Road.