CBC Montreal's annual Christmas Sing-In is coming up on Sunday
For the first time ever, tickets for the event are available in advance and online
UPDATE: Tickets to the CBC Sing-In have sold out. You can enjoy the concert online on the CBC Montreal Facebook Page at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
It's that time of year — time to get your free tickets to CBC Montreal's 38th annual Christmas Sing-In.
A beloved tradition since 1980, the Sing-In presents beloved carols with two choirs, an organ and an audience of 1,500 singing along.
Save the date: Sunday, Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul on Sherbrooke Street West, at the corner of Redpath Street. Doors open at 2 p.m. and all seating is general admission.
For the first time, tickets to the Sing-In concert can be obtained in advance through Eventbrite.
Reserve your free tickets (maximum four per person) . Here is the link to the Eventbrite page.
Seating is still general admission so while you can still expect a line-up, your Eventbrite ticket guarantees your entry.
Access to the space in neighbouring Bourgie Hall (connected by HD simulcast and featuring its very own choir) will also be possible through the online service.
Make sure to clearly select which hall your ticket is valid for before submitting the form.
While admission is free, donations will be collected for CBC Montreal's annual charity funding drive, this year benefitting West Island Community Shares, a group that distributes funds to 41 different non-profit organizations in the West Island.
Last year's Sing-In event raised more than $9,000 for charity.
New takes on classics
The concert will feature the Choir of the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, the Sing-In brass and percussion ensemble, organist Jonathan Oldengarm and conductor Jean-Sébastien Vallée.
Vallée, who has conducted the Sing-In for the past three years, said that this year the choir is trying to create a more reflective, warm vibe in its performance.
"We are going to bring an emotional, introverted reflection on Christmas this year," Vallée said.
For Vallée, the Sing-In marks the beginning of the Christmas season.
"Two years ago, when I did my first Sing-In, I started a new tradition: decorating my Christmas tree the day before," he said.
Attendees can expect choral arrangements of Ding-dong, Merrily on High, The Wexford Carol, and I Saw Three Ships.
The audience and brass ensemble will join in for arrangements of classics O Come all ye Faithful, Joy to the World, and Silent Night.
If you can't make it...
The event will also be recorded for broadcast across Canada.
Katherine Duncan will host national radio broadcasts of the 2017 Sing-In on Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. on CBC Radio 2, on Christmas Day at 1 p.m. on Radio 2, and at 4 p.m. on Radio One.
The complete CBC Christmas Sing-In will be available for online streaming beginning Dec. 14 at CBCMusic.ca/SingIn.
And finally, the concert will also be video-streamed live on the CBC Montreal and CBC Music Facebook pages.
Questions about this year's Sing-In? Contact us at mtlcomms@cbc.ca