The 36th season of Down East Singers will begin 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, at the Nativity Lutheran Church, 179 Old County Road in Rockport.

Registration is scheduled at 6:15 p.m., and new singers will be asked to have voice-placement checks.

Soprano Kathryn DerMarderosian joins the Down East staff as the Down East Singers' vocal coach. She will work with each section of the ensemble to develop good vocal technique and increase the joy of choral singing.

DerMarderosian is a member of the teaching faculty at Bay Chamber Music School, and has served as a music educator throughout the eastern United States, Ecuador and Italy.

Currently, she sings with the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops as a member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

The ensemble’s conductor is Anthony Antolini. Jennifer McIvor will return in her sixth year as piano accompanist.

This year's December concerts are titled "Harps of Gold" and will feature guest harpist Virginia Flanagan. The featured works are: "A Festival of Carols" by Frank Ferko, "Choral Fantasy on Creator of the Stars of Night" by Michael Larkin, "Seven Joys of Christmas" by Kirke Mechem and "Ceremony of Carols" by Benjamin Britten.

Performances will be Thursday, Dec. 10, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Newcastle and Sunday, Dec. 13, at Camden Opera House.

The spring semester for Down East Singers will include a Memorial Day concert featuring the Mozart Requiem, accompanied by Mozart Mentors Orchestra with soloists Sarah Tuttle, Joelle Morris, David Myers Jr. and John David Adams.

Down East Singers' usual membership is about 70, and residents from throughout the Midcoast participate. It is open to all community members, and new singers are welcome.

Sight-reading skills are desired but not required, as long as an ability to match pitch accurately is demonstrated. Singers are expected to work on their music at home between the weekly rehearsals. The membership fee is $65 per semester, excluding high school students who sing for free.

More information is available at www.downeastsingers.org or by calling 207-619-0413.