St. Cecilia Chamber Choir is holding auditions for all voice parts as we begin preparing our December “Ceremony of Lessons and Carols” concert. Drawing inspiration from the world-famous King’s College Cambridge Service of Lessons and Carols, our program blends carols both sacred and secular with seasonal readings, accompanied by a professional string quartet, performed in beautiful Bowdoin College Chapel and Damariscotta Baptist Church.

St. Cecilia Chamber Choir is a fully-auditioned community group comprised of singers from talented youth to seasoned performers. We perform the very finest challenging choral repertoire spanning the centuries from medieval to modern, under the direction of husband-and-wife team Linda Blanchard and Sean Fleming of Damariscotta. In the English choral tradition, we sing with a straight tone, enabling attention to fine-tuning rich harmonies. Much of our repertoire is a capella, and we frequently are accompanied by a professional chamber orchestra. We present two to three concerts per year, typically in December and May.

We’re a dedicated and friendly bunch, eager to welcome new members, and we especially encourage gifted students to audition. Rehearsals are high-energy and challenging. “We work hard,” says Blanchard, “but we keep the rehearsals upbeat and fun. We provide practice materials to use at home, so singers can come to rehearsal feeling prepared and ready to go!”

Singers wishing to audition should have good vocal control, and sopranos and altos should be able to sing without vibrato. The ability to read music is preferred, but those who cannot read may participate by spending extra time learning the music at home with the aid of provided practice materials.

Rehearsals are Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM starting on Sept. 13, at St. Andrew’s Church, Glidden St. in Newcastle. To schedule an audition, call Linda Blanchard at (207) 380-2768 or email audition@ceciliachoir.org. For more information about the Choir, please visit our website at ceciliachoir.org.