The Quasimodal Chorus! will again appear as part of :

Anne Dodson & Friends 26th Annual Seasonal Program

For the past 25 years Anne Dodson and her many talented friends have rung in the holiday season with a concert that celebrates life, love, loss and general silliness. This year the concert will be held on Sunday, December 8th at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary of the First Congregational Church in Camden.

This year's program stays "in house" with an all-returning cast featuring The Quasimodal Chorus, Matt Szostak, Will Brown, The January Men and Then Some, David Dodson, and Hazel Delehey. As usual, the concert challenges the definition of "seasonal" with songs from such far flung places as Africa, Italy and Wisconsin and makes room for a wistful and nostalgic look back (or way ahead) at summer!

Once again, the concert is the closing event of "Christmas by the Sea," Camden's annual weekend of holiday festivities.

Anne Dodson and Friends began in 1987 when then Camden residents Jan and Charlie Brown were running the Camden Folk Club; a monthly series of concerts in the Pilgrim Room of the First Congregational Church. They booked Anne to be the featured performer for December and asked if she would "play a couple of seasonal" songs. It was so much fun that the tradition continued, becoming more of a holiday celebration each year, until participants and audience outgrew the room. For one year the event moved to the Camden Opera House, which provided a wonderful space, but lacked the intimacy that had become the trademark of the annual concert. Moving back to the Sanctuary of the Congregational Church provided a larger hall while maintaining the informality for which the concert is known, and it has been held there ever since.

Over the years the concert has hosted special guests from the community and from places farther a field and as diverse as Canada and South Africa, all the while maintaining a core of local stalwarts including The Quasimodal Chorus and some incarnation of The Grove Street Singers. As always, "Anne Dodson and Friends" is a warm, informal concert, where the musicians take delight in blurring the line between performer and audience as together the community wraps up another year.

Doors open at 6:30 PM and advance tickets are available at The Owl and the Turtle in Camden and at Rock City Cafe in Rockland. Tickets may also be reserved in advance, to be held at the door. Adults: $13 advance, $15 suggested donation at the door. Children (6 -12): $6 in advance, $7 suggested donation at the door. Free under 6 years. Refreshments will be served. For more information or reservations call (207)236-9576.