Tucson Chamber Artists are dipping back into the choral-masterworks well this weekend when they perform Bach's "Magnificat" and Vivaldi's "Gloria."

They'll dip again in February, when the professional choir will perform Schubert's Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished" and Mozart's masterpiece "Requiem."

"It's monumental repertoire," said the choir's founder and music director, Eric Holtan. "It's large in score. The 'Requiem' is one of the most famous ever written."

"Magnificat," one of Bach's most significant choral works, provides a natural segue to Vivaldi's equally significant choral masterpiece. Bach offers Mary's joyful thanksgiving upon learning from Gabriel that she has been chosen to give birth to Jesus. The text is taken from the book of Luke.

"Gloria" is based on the angels' joyful prayer upon learning of Christ's birth.

In addition to the 23 singers and nine soloists, the performances will feature an orchestra helmed by Tucson Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Steven Moeckel.

The concert is part of the choir's fourth season, "Meta(morph)osis," a name that could also describe the choir these days, Holtan explained. In three years, it has grown from fledgling newcomer to assuming a seat at the table with Tucson's larger professional arts groups — Arizona Opera, Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Arizona Theatre Company — when it comes to subscribers and donors. Holtan proudly notes that season subscriptions have quadrupled this year over last, the number of donors has increased four-fold, and donations are up double that. The group pays its singers on par with Chorus America's standard minimum — $30 a service, which includes rehearsals and performances — and its budget has grown to $114,000. Aside from the TSO Chorus, which also pays its core singers, it is Tucson's only professional chorus.

"We're definitely in a growth pattern," Holtan said. "We're starting to earn a place as far as community support."

Holtan envisions his group becoming the next Conspirare, the Austin professional choir that in 15 years has grown into a world-class, Grammy-nominated ensemble.

"I would like to think that if Conspirare can do it in Austin, Texas, in a 15-year period, we can do it in Tucson in 10 to 15 years," said Holtan, who multitasks as assistant director of the TSO Chorus and director of choirs at Dove of Peace Lutheran Church. "There's an appreciation for classical music in Tucson."

This weekend's performances will double as a CD release party for Tucson Chamber Artists' first album, "Of Soul and Senses." The disc features organist Jeffrey Campbell and TSO principal oboist Lindabeth Binkley accompanying the choir in a collection of sacred and secular English, German and American choral works spanning the last 100 years.

"We're definitely in a growth pattern. We're starting to earn a place as far as community support."

Eric Holtan, musical director of Tucson Chamber Artists

Tucson Chamber Artists: "Faith and Joy"

• When and where: 7:30 p.m. Saturday at All Angels Episcopal Church, 602 N. Wilmot Road; and 5 p.m. Sunday at Grace St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 2331 E. Adams St. Repeats 7 p.m. Nov. 4 at Lutheran Church of the Risen Savior, 555 S. La Cañada Drive, Green Valley.

• Tickets: $18-$26 — $20 for Green Valley — through the group's Web site, www.tucson chamber artists.org; or call 401-2651.

• Program: Bach's "Magnificat" and Vivaldi's "Gloria"