St. Cecilia Chamber Choir is holding auditions for all voice parts as it begins preparing for its highly acclaimed December concert of Lessons and Carols for the Christmas season. Rehearsals are at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, starting on Sept. 9, at St. Andrew’s Church at 11 Glidden St., Newcastle. To schedule an audition, call Linda Blanchard at 563-6160 or email [email protected].

Drawing inspiration from the world-famous King’s College Cambridge Service of Lessons and Carols, the program blends carols both sacred and secular with seasonal readings, accompanied by a professional string quartet and performed in the Bowdoin College Chapel and Damariscotta Baptist Church. Among the selections this year will be Eric Whitacre’s ethereal setting of the Christmas poem “Lux Aurumque” and the 15th-century “Boar’s Head Carol.”

St. Cecilia Chamber Choir is a fully auditioned group of singers that includes talented youth and seasoned performers. The group performs the a challenging choral repertoire, spanning the centuries from medieval to modern, under the direction of the husband-and-wife team Linda Blanchard and Sean Fleming, of Damariscotta. In the English choral tradition, the chamber choir sings with a straight tone, enabling attention to fine-tuning rich harmonies. Much of the group’s repertoire is a cappella, but it is frequently accompanied by a professional chamber orchestra. St. Cecilia Chamber Choir presents two to three concerts per year, typically in December and May.

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. Blanchard and Fleming strive for their audition process to be gentle, welcoming and supportive.

For more information about the choir, visit facebook.com/stceciliachamberchoir and ceciliachoir.org.