FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2026
HUNDREDS OF SINGERS TO GATHER AT ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA CHURCH FOR INAUGURAL SOUTHCOAST FESTIVAL OF CHOIRS
December 5 event, envisioned by Artistic Director Brian Dean Sousa, will unite regional choirs with New Bedford Symphony Orchestra brass and percussion, organist Peter Krasinski, and St. Anthony’s historic 1912 Casavant Frères Opus 489 pipe organ
Media Contacts
Gisele Pappas, Concert Committee | (508) 264-8010
Father Mariano Varela, I.V.E., Pastor | (508) 993-1691
Brian Dean Sousa, Artistic Director | (508) 314-0377
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Hundreds of singers from across the Southcoast and surrounding region will come together at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 1359 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, Massachusetts, on Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. for the inaugural Southcoast Festival of Choirs, an event envisioned by Artistic Director Brian Dean Sousa and presented by Music at Saint Anthony’s.
The large-scale Christmas concert will unite community, collegiate and alumni choirs with New Bedford Symphony Orchestra brass and percussion, organist Peter Krasinski, and St. Anthony’s historic 1912 Casavant Frères Opus 489 pipe organ in one of the region’s most remarkable sacred spaces.
Participating ensembles include the Salve Regina University Chorus, Falmouth Chorale, Greater New Bedford Choral Society, Sine Nomine, South Coast Community Chorale, New Bedford High School Alumni Choir, and St. Anthony Community Choir.
Each choir will perform individually before the ensembles join together as a massed festival choir for a grand program of traditional Christmas carols.
Sousa conceived the Southcoast Festival of Choirs as a way to bring together choral organizations from throughout the region in a shared musical celebration while allowing each participating ensemble to retain its own identity.
“Bringing this many singers together in one place is something truly special,” Sousa said. “Each ensemble has its own sound, identity and musical tradition, and audiences will have the opportunity to experience those individual voices before everyone comes together at the end of the evening. With hundreds of singers, brass, percussion and the magnificent 1912 Casavant organ filling St. Anthony’s, this promises to be an extraordinary way to begin the Christmas season.”
The setting will be an important part of the experience. St. Anthony of Padua Church is renowned for its soaring architecture, richly decorated interior, extensive stained glass by noted artist Guido Nincheri, and its monumental 1912 Casavant Frères pipe organ, Opus 489.
During the concert, more than 5,200 lights throughout the church will illuminate the sanctuary and nave, creating a dramatic setting for the music.
Organist Peter Krasinski will perform on the historic Casavant instrument and accompany the combined festival forces, together with brass and percussion from the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra.
The concert will also support the preservation of one of New Bedford’s architectural landmarks. Proceeds will benefit the St. Anthony Church Renovation Fund, which is currently supporting restoration of the exterior wood window frames surrounding the church’s approximately 75-year-old Guido Nincheri stained-glass windows.
“This festival is about more than bringing choirs together,” Sousa said. “It is a celebration of music, community and this extraordinary building. We hope people will come not only to hear these wonderful ensembles, but also to experience St. Anthony’s and help preserve it for generations to come.”

TICKETS
Advance tickets are $25, and children are admitted free.
Tickets will also be available at the door, although advance purchase is encouraged for this special one-night event.
Tickets may be purchased online at:
https://www.osvhub.com/saintanthonynb/forms/christmasconcert
PARKING AND ACCESSIBILITY
Parking is available in the neighborhood surrounding St. Anthony Church, with additional parking available at:
● St. Kilian’s Church parking lot
● Immaculate Conception Church parking lots
● Alma del Mar Charter School parking lot
A free shuttle service will circulate among the designated parking areas before and after the concert.
The church is wheelchair accessible through the Nye Street entrance.
Concertgoers are also encouraged to make an evening of their visit to New Bedford by enjoying dinner before the performance at one of the restaurants along Acushnet Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood, many of which offer parking within walking distance of the church.
EVENT AT A GLANCE
Southcoast Festival of Choirs
Presented by Music at Saint Anthony’s
Inaugural event envisioned by Artistic Director Brian Dean Sousa
Saturday, December 5, 2026
6:30 p.m.
St. Anthony of Padua Church
1359 Acushnet Avenue
New Bedford, MA 02746
Tickets: $25 in advance
Children: Free
Featuring
● Salve Regina University Chorus
● Falmouth Chorale
● Greater New Bedford Choral Society
● Sine Nomine
● South Coast Community Chorale
● New Bedford High School Alumni Choir
● St. Anthony Community Choir
● Peter Krasinski, organ
● New Bedford Symphony Orchestra brass and percussion
● 1912 Casavant Frères Pipe Organ, Opus 489
Tickets: https://www.osvhub.com/saintanthonynb/forms/christmasconcert
Information: www.saintanthonynb.org | www.musicatsaintanthonys.org
ABOUT THE SOUTHCOAST FESTIVAL OF CHOIRS
The Southcoast Festival of Choirs, envisioned by Artistic Director Brian Dean Sousa, was created to bring together choral organizations from throughout southeastern Massachusetts and the surrounding region for collaborative performances celebrating the breadth, vitality and community of the choral arts. The December 5, 2026 gathering at St. Anthony of Padua Church marks the festival’s inaugural event.
ABOUT MUSIC AT SAINT ANTHONY’S
Music at Saint Anthony’s presents concerts and special musical events at historic St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford, showcasing outstanding performers alongside the church’s historic 1912 Casavant Frères Opus 489 pipe organ and distinctive architectural and acoustic setting.