Plenty to sing about

From carols to concerts and from kids' choirs to firm family favourites, Arminta Wallacerounds up the highlights of the singing season

Carols

DUBLIN

Carols for Freedom Amnesty International's annual carol-singing session with soprano Virginia Kerr and singer-songwriter Eleanor McEvoy. Christ Church Cathedral, €25 from Ticketmaster, Dec 8 7pm, 1850-882500 www.amnesty.ie

Carols at Christ Church The cathedral choirs present favourite Christmas music old and new with compere Fred Deane. Christ Church Cathedral, Dec 12, 8pm, €16/concession €10, 01-6778099, e-mail music@cccdub.ie

The Lassus Scholars and Piccolo Lasso National Museum, Collins Barracks, Dec 8 2pm, www.dublinchoralfoundation.ie

Peata The pet therapy group hosts a carol service complete with visiting animals. Christ Church Cathedral, Dec 4 1.15pm

Cathedral Girls' Choir with the Lay Vicars Choral Alzheimer Society carol concert with mulled wine and mince pies. Christ Church Cathedral, Dec 11 1.10pm

Cór na nÓg Music from Britten's A Ceremony of Carols and from the film Home Alone, plus traditional carols. St Ann's Church, Dawson St, €12/concession €6/family ticket (two adults and two children) €32, available at the door from 4pm, Dec 13 6pm

O Come, All Ye Faithful Join in a traditional Christmas celebration with the choirs of St Patrick's Cathedral. Dec 15 6pm, adm free, www.stpatrickscathedral.ie

The Lassus Scholars and Piccolo Lasso Ulster Bank Group Centre, George's Quay, Dec 17 1.15 pm, www.dublinchoralfoundation.ie

Nine Lessons and Carols The Lassus Scholars and Piccolo Lasso. Service of readings and carols in Adam and Eve's Church, Merchant's Quay, Dec 23 7.45pm, www.dublinchoralfoundation.ie

MAYO

Foxford Brass Band Service Including celebration of 110th anniversary of the birth of local poet Frederick Robert Higgins with a memorial tribute of prayer and poetry. Church of Ireland, Foxford, Dec 16 6pm

WATERFORD

Civic Carol Service City of Waterford Brass Band joins the cathedral choir for a festive celebration. Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford, Dec 23 4pm, www.christchurchwaterford.com, 051-858958

Concerts

BELFAST

The Snowman Ulster Orchestra, conducted by Christopher Bell, performs the family favourite. Waterfront Hall, Dec 8 2.30pm and 5pm, £13/child £7.50, 004428-9033-4455, www.waterfront.co.uk

CARLOW

Carlow Choral Society Conducted by Blanaid Murphy, Mozart Requiem plus excerpts from Handel's Messiah. Carlow Cathedral, €20/€15, Dec 1 8pm

DUBLIN

Anúna Fresh from a tour of Japan, the a cappella ensemble offers two of its famously atmospheric Christmas concerts this year. St Ann's Church, Dawson St, €28 (booking essential on www.anuna.ie), Dec 21, 22 8pm

The Lassus Scholars and Piccolo Lasso Excerpts from Bach, Handel and Elgar, with the Orlando Chamber Orchestra and soloists including Imelda Drumm (mezzo) and Robin Tritschler (tenor), conducted by Ite O'Donovan. National Concert Hall, Dec 6 8pm, €25/€20/€15, 01-4170000, www.nch.ie

Carols by Candlelight

The Locrian Ensemble in full period costume and an ornate candlelit setting, plus special guest Jill Washington of West End, Phantom of the Opera fame and Lyric FM presenter Evelyn Grant as compere. The Mahony Hall, The Helix, Dec 14 7.30pm, €27.50/€25/€22.50/€20, 01-7007000, www.thehelix.ie

They Don't Sing Like In The Old Days . . . at Christmas! Billed as "the show where you don't have to wait until the Hallelujah Chorus to join in", this extravaganza features the RTÉ Concert Orchestra conducted by Gearóid Grant with vocalists Emmanuel Lawler, Kathy Nugent and Austin Gaffney. National Concert Hall, €35/€30/€25/€20, Dec 11 8pm, 01-4170000, www.nch.ie

The Glory of Christmas Music by Bach, Handel, Berlioz and seasonal favourites with Carlow Choral Society, Dublin Concert Orchestra, Iain Paton (tenor), Crispian Steele-Perkins (trumpet), the boys of John Dexter Harmony and John Pryce-Jones (conductor). National Concert Hall, Dec 21 8pm, €41.50/€39/€31/€21, 01-4170000, www.nch.ie

Xmas Lunchtimes A series of seasonal gigs with RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and a selection of guest singers, presenting vocal and orchestral favourites for the festive period. National Concert Hall, Dec 12 1.05 pm; also Dec 18 and Dec 20 1.05 pm, €10, 01-4170000, www.nch.ie

Innocent Merriment: a Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Director Michael McCaffery and a host of singing stars invite you to write your own G&S opera, as well as joining in with such rabble-rousing choruses as Three Little Maids from School Are We and The Flowers that Bloom in the Spring. The Mahony Hall, The Helix, Dec 12 8pm, €25/€21.50/concessions €19, 01-7007000, www.thehelix.ie

Goethe-Institut Choir Christmas Concert With guests Young European Strings, extracts from Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Elgar's Choral Songs, Vivaldi's Concerto for Three Violins and traditional favourites including Stille Nacht in German. National Concert Hall, Dec 3 8pm, €25/€20/concessions €15, 01-4170000, www.nch.ie

Hansel and Gretel Concert performance of Humperdinck's opera by RTÉ national Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gerhard Markson, with RTÉ Cór na nÓg and soloists Mairead Buicke (Gretel), Fiona Murphy (Hansel), Yvonne Fontane (Witch), Deirdre Cooling-Nolan (Mother), Philip O'Reilly (Father), Rebekah Coffey (Sandman/Dew Fairy). National Concert Hall, Dec 7 8pm, €33/€28/€22/€16/€10 (concessions €30/€24/€18.50/€13.50/ €8.50), 01-4170000, www.nch.ie

KILKENNY

O Holy Night Eimear Quinn opens her tour of three of Ireland's cathedrals with a selection of seasonal music. St Canice's Cathedral, Dec 12 8pm, €23, tickets from Ticketmaster, 0818-719-300, www.ticketmaster.ie; St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork, Dec 13 8pm, €23; and Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Dec 15 8pm, €25

GALWAY

Cois Cladaigh Premiere of new choral work Regina Coeli by Meg Pol, plus traditional favourites. Proceeds to Amnesty International. St Nicholas's Collegiate Church, Dec 8 8pm, tickets from Amnesty shop on St Augustin Street, €10/concession €8, 091-533637

WATERFORD

Ad Hoc Chorale Group that meets "ad hoc" in members' houses to have some fun singing and has gone on to compete in the AIMS choral festival, plus guests Sweeney Toddlers. Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford, Dec 2 noon, €5 adult/€10 family, www.christchurchwaterford.com, 051-858958

Messiahs

BELFAST

Belfast Philharmonic Choir with Ulster Orchestra Conducted by Martin Haselbock, with soloists Deborah York (soprano), David D Q Lee, (counter-tenor), Benjamin Hulett (tenor) and Jose Antonio Lopez (bass). Waterfront Hall, Dec 14, 15 7.30pm, £24-£13/choir stalls £10, 004428-90334455, www.waterfront.co.uk

DUBLIN

Culwick Choral Society Period performance with Resurgam, Camerata Kilkenny, and soloists Lynda Lee (soprano), Edel O'Brien (contralto), Derek Moloney (tenor) and Andrew Slater (bass). St Patrick's Cathedral, St Patrick's Close, Dublin 8, Dec 5, 6 8pm Tickets can be booked online €30, concessions €25, with some €15 seats in limited-view areas or towards the back 01-4539472, www.stpatrickscathedral.ie

Enchiriadis Tres Choirs and Orchestra Conducted by Marion Doherty with soloists Colette Boushell (soprano), Cliona McDonough (alto), David Revels (tenor) and Charles Johnson (bass). The Helix, Dec 8 8pm, €27/€22/€12, 01-7007000 www.thehelix.ie

Our Lady's Choral Society With soloists Celine Byrne (soprano), Eamonn Mulhall (tenor), John Molloy (bass) and Hiroya Aoki (counter-tenor), National Concert Hall, Dec 12, 13, 14 8pm €30/€27.50/choir balcony €25, 01-4170000 www.nch.ie

WATERFORD

Resurgam with Camerata Kilkenny Period performance conducted by Mark Duley with soloists to include Lynda Lee (soprano) and Owen Willetts (counter-tenor). Barronstrand Street Cathedral, Dec 14 7.30pm, €25/concession €20, booking through Garter Lane Arts Centre, 051-855038, www.garterlane.ie