A Christmas Concert

At Sacred Heart

SOUTHBURY — The Christmas season will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church on Sunday, December 19, at 3 pm, when the Sacred Heart Church Music Ministry presents “A Christmas Concert.”

The performance will be conducted by John J. Dulina IV and accompanied by pianists Patty Richards and Mark Focarile. It will feature both the adult choir and youth chorale.

The Sacred Heart adult choir comes to this concert with an impressive performance history, beginning with a 1995 tour of Italy. The tour included a performance at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II. This initial experience fueled the desire of the group and its music director, Mr Dulina, to continue challenging their musical skills.

With the continued support of Father Mark Flynn, Pastor of Sacred Heart Church, the choir has performed benefit concerts in New York and several local concerts. Their work has included John Rutter’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, and Hayden’s Creation.

For the Christmas concert, the adult choir and youth chorale will perform traditional Christmas favorites and several children’s anthems. A special treat for the audience will be listening to the 50-member adult choir sing selections from A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten. The Britten selections are festive pieces, sung in a light, crisp, British style. This will be quite different from the more solemn, serious work performed by the choir on previous occasions.

Tickets for the 3 pm concert are available at the church’s religious education office, at 264-5065, or at the Renaissance Center, 348 Main Street South, at 267-7672. Tickets may also be purchased from any choir member. A $5 donation is suggested and all proceeds will benefit the Sacred Heart Music Ministry.

Sacred Heart Church is at the corner of Main Street and Route 172 in Southbury. It is easily reached from I-84 exit 14; turn left if traveling east, turn right if traveling west, and go straight through the light. Sacred Heart is on the right.