Joyous music of the holidays will herald the season this Sunday when St. Richard’s Church hosts its first annual “Sounds of the Holidays” concert featuring the North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra led by Music Director Robert Lehmann.

The concert, a 35-year-old tradition at St. Anthony’s Church in Revere, will be the first of its kind in Danvers, with the unique admission price of a bag of non-perishable food donations, all to support the People-to-People Food Pantry.

This year’s concert in Revere, held last weekend, raised nearly three tons of food for a local food pantry.

Gary DeStefano, the event’s organizer, attended last year’s performance in Revere and was “absolutely amazed," he said. "One, that we have a North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra, and two, that they packed St. Anthony's with over 1000 people, and that they packed the place with food for the hungry. So that's what we're trying to accomplish.”

Music Director Lehmann said he looks forward to starting a tradition in Danvers.  “The Orchestra has performed a similar event at St. Anthony’s Church in Revere since 1976, and everyone loves it, and that includes the musicians!” 

DeStefano noted that the event is open to all faiths and people. His hope, he said, will be for some one just like him last year sitting in the audience, to do the same for their community next year.

The program of holiday music gets underway at 4:00 p.m. in St. Richard’s Church at 90 Forest Street. Everyone attending the concert is requested to bring a substantial donation of non-perishable food to benefit the Danvers “People to People” Food Pantry.  The concert is sponsored by Living Legacy Financial Group, Inc., C. R. Lyons & Sons Funeral Directors, Salem Five, St. Richard’s Church, The Salem News and The Boston Globe.
   
Soprano Jean Danton will sing several songs on the program and lead the audience in a “Holiday Sing-A-Long.”