The North Shore Community Chorus will hold its annual holiday concert on Sunday, Dec. 8, at St. Dominic’s Church in Oyster Bay. The event, featuring a program of sacred music centered around the Psalms, begins at 4 p.m. and is free to the public, with a free-will offering benefiting the church.
Founded in 1983 by Stephen Goldstein, then a choral music teacher at North Shore High School, the choir has brought together music lovers from across Long Island for over four decades. Goldstein, who continues to direct the choir, said the group’s members include a mix of amateur singers, music teachers, and professional vocalists.
This year’s concert, titled “A Festival of Psalms,” will feature both classic and contemporary settings of well-known texts. Highlights include Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” featuring 11-year-old boy soprano Andrew Nagel of Stony Brook, a member of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra. The program also includes compositions by Goldstein himself, including original settings of Psalms 23 and 121, as well as favorites like “How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place” from Brahms’ “Requiem.”
“Sacred music has a way of resonating with people, regardless of their background,” Goldstein said. “The Psalms we’ve selected are absolute gems of the repertoire, and we’ve worked hard to create a program that feels both uplifting and profound.”
Accompanying the choir will be a small ensemble including organist Donald Larson, harpist Marjorie Fitz, and a percussionist. The use of St. Dominic’s Church, located at 93 Anstice St., offers an intimate setting for the performance.
“St. Dominic’s has been gracious in hosting us, especially as scheduling at North Shore High School has grown more complicated,” Goldstein said. “The sanctuary is a beautiful space with wonderful acoustics, and last year we had nearly 300 people attend.”
The North Shore Community Chorus performs three concerts annually, including a spring masterworks concert with orchestra and a summer pops concert. The holiday concert, however, holds a special place for Goldstein and his singers.
“This group is about more than music—it’s about community,” he said. “We come together to share something beautiful, and that spirit is what makes these performances so meaningful.”
No tickets are required for the event, but Goldstein recommends arriving early to secure seating near the front for the best balance of sound.
“The closer you are, the more you’ll enjoy the voices, especially Andrew’s incredible solo,” he said.
For more information, visit the North Shore Community Chorus’ website, NorthShoreChorus.org, or contact St. Dominic’s Church at (516) 922-4488.
