November 15, 2007
Contact: Mallorie Chernin
Director of Choral Music
413/542-2484
Caroline Jenkins Hanna
Director of Media Relations

413/542-8417

AMHERST, Mass.—The annual Amherst College Christmas Vespers service will be held on Sunday, Dec. 2, at 4 and 7:30 p.m. in Johnson Chapel. The “Festival of Lessons and Carols,” as it is called, is sponsored by the Amherst College Christian Fellowship, the Newman Club, the Protestant and Roman Catholic Religious Advisors and the Amherst College Choral Society. Admission to Christmas Vespers is free; the public is invited to attend.

Mallorie Chernin, director of choral music at Amherst, will direct the Amherst College Choral Society with assistance from Suraj Gopal ’07. Elly Jessop ’08 and Ben Vincent ’09 will direct the Amherst College Madrigal Singers. Other musicians will include organist James Maes, trumpeters Douglas Purcell and Benjamin Abelson ’08 and the Amherst College Flute Choir. Featured is guest choir Carmina, a children’s chorus from the Czech Republic.

The Choral Society will perform music of Handl, Desamours, Bach, Britten, Whalum and others. Members of the college community will read lessons from scripture. The congregation will be asked to join in the singing of traditional carols and the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah.

Admission is free and open to the public, and no tickets are required.

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