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March 3, 2005 Section: CALIENTE Page: G33 Concerts will benefit Red Cross Cathalena E. Burch Tucson's newest professional classical music ensemble is pitching in to help the Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Red Cross with a series of concerts that kicks off Friday.

The Tucson Chamber Artists, a 34-member ensemble of vocalists and instrumentalists that debuted last November, will perform "Music for a Contemplative Season: A Concert of English Sacred Choral Music." The program includes the seldom-heard Lenten portion of Handel's "Messiah" as well Purcell's "Hear My Prayer, O Lord"; Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus"; "Agnus Dei" (from Mass for Four Voices); Herbert Howells' "Like as the Hart"; Ralph Vaughan Williams' "O How Amiable Are Thy Dwellings"; and "Antiphon" (from Five Mystical Songs). The first concert is at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 11575 N. First Ave., in Oro Valley. The group moves to old Bisbee at 8 p.m. March 11 for a concert at St. John's Episcopal Church, 19 Sowles Ave.; then to the University of Arizona area for a concert at 3 p.m. March 13 at First United Methodist Church, 915 E. Fourth St. Admission to all events is free, but an offering will be collected to benefit the Red Cross. For more information, call 370-8016.

Copyright 2005 The Arizona Daily Star