Bethesda-by-the-Sea to host Christmas Concert and Christmas tree lighting tonight

With Christmas just around the corner, Episcopalian Church Bethesda-by-the-Sea is ready to bring the holiday spirit with its annual Christmas Concert and Community Carol Sing.

Set for 7:30 p.m. today, the sold-out concert is expected to bring a crowd of 500 attendees to the historic church on the corner of South County Road and Barton Avenue.

The concert will feature the 26-person Bethesda Choir accompanied by an equally large orchestra of professional musicians from South Florida, said Stuart Forster, associate for music and liturgy for the church.

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Forster said this year's setlist includes a variety of new pieces never played before at the church, including a one-of-a-kind orchestral arrangement of "Do You Hear What I Hear?"

The arrangement had evaded him for years until a recent internet search revealed an unbelievable surprise.

"With the magic of Google, I finally found the orchestrator," Forster said. "It's such an old arrangement, it's never been digitized. So, he took photos of the score with his phone and email them to me, which was extremely nice of him."

However, keeping with the concert tradition, guests are encouraged to sing along during select Christmas carols, including "The First Noel," "Joy to the World," "Angels We have Heard on High" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," the latter two arranged by Forster.

"They're the staples of the concert, and then everything else will be I believe the first time they've been done in this concert," he said.

Moreover, the concert will feature what Forster describes as different musical "textures" throughout the night, including a movement of Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carol's" featuring the choir's soprano and alto singers accompanied by a single harp.

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Also, in the setlist is an improvisational performance by Organist Michael Murray.

"So, I'll be giving him a theme in a sealed envelope, and he'll work his magic and improvise," Forster said. "He'll go to town, and it will be fun for everyone."

Murray and Forster first got the idea during one of Murray's previous performances.

"The last time we did this, it was a smaller crowd and he just said, 'here's my phone number text me a theme,'" said Forster. "So, people were sending him all kinds of weird and wonderful things. We thought this might be a better way considering its going to be a full house."

Following the concert the church will have its tree lighting reception, complete with champagne and cookies.

Any of those thinking of skipping out should avoid taking Barton Ave. Eastward to South Ocean Boulevard, as the Palm Beach Police Department will be making the ocean block of Barton Ave. a temporary west ward one-way for the evening event, said Department spokesperson Will Rothrock.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Bethesda-by-the-Sea to host Christmas Concert tonight