Lyme Bay Chorale's Christmas concert, featuring a very special guest, will take place on Sunday, December 8, at 4.30pm.

Professional soprano Philippa Hyde, one of Lyme Bay Chorale's patrons, will perform Handel's Haec est Regina Virginium, as well as solo parts of Handel's Laudate Pueri Dominum and Haydn's Heiligmesse.

Philippa studied at the Royal Academy of Music before her concert, oratorio and operatic career took her all over the world, performing at many of the major concert venues and festivals of Europe. On December 7, she will present a masterclass at 2.30pm, alongside fellow patron Paul Esswood. Several members of the choir will be taking part and visitors are welcome to come along and listen.

Musical director Alex Davies said: "We're excited to welcome Philippa and Paul back to Lyme Regis. Their masterclass is a wonderful opportunity for some of our singers to learn from the best in their field, and Philippa's solo piece in our concert is certain to be magical. We're lucky to have such talented, renowned professionals as our patrons."

The Christmas concert will also feature solo performances from Kate Barnes, Rachel Bennett, Paul Tindall, Julian Sutton and David Fouracre. The singers will be accompanied throughout by a small orchestra of strings, woodwind and brass, as well as Peter Parshall on the organ and Peter Lea-Cox on the harpsichord.

Lyme Bay Chorale is a Lyme Regis-based choir of around 25 singers, who give two concerts of classical and modern choral music each year. Having performed for more than a decade, the choir has developed a repertoire including works of Brahms, Haydn, Mozart, Britten, Handel and Bach.

On Remembrance Day last year, the choir performed a free concert of Fauré's Requiem, which raised more than £800 for Help For Heroes.

Musical director Alex Davies trained at Trinity College of Music, working at various London churches with professional choirs before moving back to his home town of Lyme Regis.

Lyme Bay Chorale's Christmas concert will take place in St Michael's Church, Lyme Regis. Tickets are £13 in advance from Lyme Regis TIC, Penny Black Café or from choir members, or £15 on the door. Under-18s go free.

For more information about the choir, visit www.lymebaychorale.co.uk