The Augusta Chorale presents George Handel's Messiah featuring Funmilayo Harmon, Soprano; Pamela Dillard, Mezzo Soprano; Timothy Miller, tenor; and Isaac Holmes, bass. Keith Shafer will accompany on organ. Dr. Phyllis Anderson is the artistic director of the Augusta Chorale and will conduct the entire production. This performance will held at the Gilbert-Lambuth Chapel of Paine College, Dec. 14 at 4 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students. Please call (803) 593-6605 for ticket sales.

Lyric Soprano Funmilayo Harmon is well known for her performances in the region. She not only works as a music educator in the Aiken High School but also performs throughout the area. She has served as a vocal coach for the Aiken County Gateway Program. Her music program at Aiken High is exemplary.

Mezzo Soprano Pamela Dillard has forged an impressive resume, which includes performances Dangerous Liaisons, Ruslka, Carmen, and Manon in San Francisco Opera, Porgy and Bess in the Atlanta Opera, Falstaff with the Boston Lyric Opera, the Boston Symphony Orchestra as well as the St. Louis Symphony. Recently, she traveled to France, Spain, and Luxembourg to perform and notably sang with the Opera Comique of Paris in their first production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. A native of Atlanta, she is an adjunct Professor of Voice at Spelman College in Atlanta. Her recordings include "Watch and Pray, Spirituals and Art Songs by African American Women Composers," "Highway One and Superhero" for Brian McKnight, and Preschool Favorites by Music for Little People.

Tenor Timothy Boyd Miller, a native of Augusta, made his operatic debut as Monostatos in the Mannes Opera and first armored man in Mozart's Die Zauberflote. He has participated in the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Chiari, Italy, the Bay Area Summer Opera Theatre Institute in San Francisco, Calif., and the Capitol City Opera of Atlanta. Dr. Miller is a faculty member at the Greater Atlanta Christian School and a Voice Professor at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

Bass-Baritone Isaac Holmes has served as guest soloist throughout the CSRA. Holmes is Assistant Professor of Music at Paine College and is the current Artistic Director of Columbia County Choral Society.

A free pre-concert workshop, "Handel's Messiah" will be presented at 2:30 before the concert for children and teens attending the concert. Anderson will lead the children's workshop, and Susan Calkins, an East Augusta Middle School educator, will lead the teen's workshop. Parents must accompany children to the workshop.

For more information about the Augusta Chorale call (706) 830-0991 or visit www.augustachorale.org.