STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Patty Parsons-Tewson and her Sun Valley Hallelujah Chorus are throwing two songfests in the new Argyros Performing Arts Center.

The gospel choir will present its annual musical, “The Promise: A Christmas Celebration,” at 7 tonight—Saturday, Dec. 22.

It will follow that up on Sunday, Dec. 23, with Handel’s “Messiah” at 5:30 p.m.

Tonight’s concert will feature dancers from Footlight Dance Centre performing such songs as “Children, Go Where I Send Thee.”

Also performing will be singers with C’s Mountain School of Music,” who will perform such numbers as The Jackson 5’s “I’ll be There.”

Sunday’s performance of “Messiah” will be augmented by a string quartet.

Featured soloists from past years—Joyce E. Green of Los Angeles and Jonathan Hill of Boise’s Opera Idaho—will be back. Joining them will be Meredith Skillman, a local singer.

Georg Fredic Handel first staged his “Messiah” in 1742, giving the proceeds to help pay off prisoners’ debts and offer assistance to the Mercer’s Hospital and the Charitable Infirmary.

The performance met with great claim, described as “far surpassing anything of that Nature which has been performed in this or any other kingdom.”

The Sun Valley Hallelujah Chorus is charging admission because of increased charges with performing in the Argyros, said Tewson. Tickets are each performance $15 for adults and $12 for children, available at www.theargyros.org.