Following its successful tour in 2015, the University of Melbourne Choir of Newman College once again joins forces with the celebrated New Zealand early music ensemble, The Affetto Players, to perform sprightly carols and sumptuous motets from the Baroque era.

Celebrate the joy of Christmas as one of Australia's leading chamber choirs and The Affetto Players perform a sparkling array of music by JS Bach, Handel and Praetorius.

Highlights include the voice of Mezzo-soprano Stefanie Dingnis echoed by a trumpet in Handel's Eternal source of light divine and Carols such as Joy to the World and In dulci jubilo in their original Baroque form.

Peter Reid will be playing the evocative pūtātara, (a Māori conch) to accompany a procession from The Play of Herod.

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Johann Sebastian Bach's motets Kommnf, Jesu komm for a double choir will be one of the pinnacles of the solo choir repertoire.

Soprano soloist Hannah Irvine will sing the arias of Schütz's Christmas Story and the majesty and virtuosity of Praetorius's 15-voice Glorian.

Australian conductor and festival director Gary Ekkel will lead the consort of voices and period instruments, including the Venetian cornetto and pūtātara, and a range of historic New Zealand organs played by Austrian-trained organist David Macfarlane.

+A Baroque Christmas, St Peter's Anglican Church, 3pm Saturday December 14, 229 Ruahine St, Roslyn.