Hundreds of guests packed Tabor Academy’s Wickenden Chapel to ring out the Sippican Choral Society's 47th season with the annual Christmas concert.

The Dec. 4 concert, “Christmas Through the Years,” featured the 81 members of the Choral Society singing holiday compositions ranging from the 9th century’s “Veni, Veni Emmanuel,” to the 19th century English carol, “I Saw Three Ships.”

At the helm was Musical Director Brian Rodderick, who is currently in his ninth year with the Choral Society. Rodderick, and the rest of the choir were accompanied by Michelle Gordon on piano, organist Dwight Thomas, flutist Leslie Stroud and Neil Sylvia on percussions.

The annual Christmas concert first opened last Friday Dec. 2 at the Grace Episcopal Church in New Bedford, but according to the president of the Sippican Choral Society, Deborah Osuch, the large turnout in Marion was overwhelmingly appreciated.

“The most exciting part of the concert is just the joy of singing, of artistic expression,” Osuch said. “Our voice is our instrument.”

Along the way, the Choral Society was joined by the Southcoast Children’s Chorus, which currently features 37 youth members.

Led by Musical Director Leslie Piper, and accompanied by Daniel Romero, the Children’s Chorus took the stage for renditions of  “One Candle Lights the Way,” and “Sing We Now of Christmas.”

Following the Children’s Choir, Rodderick asked the many, many members of the audience to join both choirs in singing “Angels We Have Heard on High,” and, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.”

While the Dec. 4 concert was the final one for the season, 40 members of the Choral Society held a special performance of the Christmas concert at the Sippican Nursing Home in Marion on Dec. 5.

“Music is abound here in Marion,” said member Robert Jones. “The people in the nursing homes don’t get out much and they enjoy singing carols just as much as we enjoy going there.”

The Sippican Choral Society will next take to the stage at the end of April for a spring concert “Music of Remembrance.” The show will be in memory of long-time chorus member Marc Olson, as well as in honor of the victims of 9/11.