Cappella Sanctae Catharinae returns with its annual Gaudete! event with a choral concert for Christmas that will offer Baroque Christmas music together with seasonal choral music.

The concert will be held in twice in two different churches, the first on December 16 at 7.30pm at St Philip Parish Church, Ħaż-Żebbuġ and the second on December 17 at 11am at Church of the Annunciation (Carmelite Church), Mdina.

As with all Cappella Sanctae Catharinae events, the focus will be on beautiful but little-known repertoire.

This includes not only Christmas Carols, but also liturgical Christmas music. These include Baroque polyphonic works such as the Gloria from Antonio Lotti’s Mass in A minor, and a Magnificat by Francesco Feroci.

There will also be rarely performed carols from all around Europe, including the Medieval German carol In Dulci Jubilo, and the French carol Quelle est cette odeur agrèeable?

As with previous years there will also be a new carol from the choir’s Maltese Carols Project. This project started in 2016 and aims to collect, preserve, and promote old Maltese Christmas melodies.

Cappella Sanctae Catharinae, Malta’s only male choir, was set up in 2009 by a small group of musicians sharing a common passion for late Renaissance and early Baroque polyphonic music.

Entrance is free but there will be a retiring collection towards restoration projects of the respective churches.