Penobscot Bay Singers to present Vivaldi’s “Gloria!”
The Penobscot Bay Singers will present their Holiday Concert, “Gloria!” in three concerts: Saturday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m., at the Searsport Congregational Church; Sunday, Dec. 14, at 3 p.m., at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Belfast; and at a special fundraising concert on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m., at the Belfast United Methodist Church.
Performing with the Singers will be the Pen Bay Baroque Ensemble. Especially featured on the program will be the Baroque sacred composition, “Gloria,” by Antonin Vivaldi. The seasonal concert will also present Gustav Holst’s choral fantasy, “Christmas Day,” and will include several sing-along favorites that invite the audience to join in, particularly a rousing rendition of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.”
The Penobscot Bay Singers are a choral ensemble of more than 50 singers, directed by Sierra Lary and accompanied by joani mitchell.
After joining the Singers as Assistant Director in the spring of 2025, Lary assumed the position of Director for the 2025-2026 season. A talented vocalist, according to Penobscot Bay Singers, in a news release, Lary has performed with several choral societies throughout New England and has established voice studios at the Bay Chamber school in Camden and at the Searsport Congregational Church.
Accompanist joani mitchell is well-known to Belfast audiences, as she has played the keyboards for several local choirs and musical theater groups since retiring from teaching music at the Riley School in Glen Cove in 2014.
The Pen Bay Baroque Ensemble is a group of 10 musicians that includes strings, trumpet, English horn, and harpsichord. They occasionally collaborate with the Penobscot Bay Singers for specific concerts that feature both choral and instrumental Baroque pieces.
The concluding concert of seasonal music (Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m., at BUMC) by the Penobscot Bay Singers will be raising funds for the Interfaith Fuel Fund (IFF). Administered by the Greater Belfast Area Ministerium, an interdenominational group of churches in the Belfast and Searsport area, the IFF assists local residents who are having difficulty heating their homes.
Tickets Online and at Select Retailers, $20: Available in advance at local merchants: Better Homes and Gardens, The Masiello Group in Belfast; The Aquarian Gift Shop and H & H Mercantile in Searsport; Ralph’s Café in Brooks. Students (under 18), admission free. Digital tickets are available at https://www.penobscotbaysingers.org/tickets. Tickets will also be available at the door, unless sold out.

