NEWCASTLE — St. Cecilia Chamber Choir is holding auditions for all voice parts as it begins preparing for its December concert of Lessons and Carols for the Christmas Season. 

"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 and performed in the beautiful Bowdoin College Chapel and Damariscotta Baptist Church," said the Choir, in a news release. "Among the stellar 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. According to the news release, the group performs the very finest 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, St. Cecilia sings with a straight tone, enabling attention to fine-tuning rich harmonies. Much of the group's repertoire is a cappella, and it frequently is accompanied by a professional chamber orchestra. St. Cecilia 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.

"We strive for our audition process to be gentle, welcoming, and supportive," said the Choir.

Rehearsals are on Wednesday evenings, at 6:30 p.m., starting on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at St. Andrew’s Church, 11 Glidden Street in Newcastle.

To schedule an audition, call Linda Blanchard at 207-563-6160 or email audition@ceciliachoir.org.

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