The Moore County Choral Society (MCCS) announces its 38th season.

As one of the state's long-standing choral groups, MCCS continues to gain prominence as a chorus of distinction and excellence under the conductorship of Anne Dorsey.

MCCS, a 130-voice society of volunteer singers, celebrates the rich and varied heritage of choral music through outstanding live choral performances, and promotes and shares choral art through education and public outreach.

For the 2012-2013 season, MCCS will ring in the holidays with "Holiday Harmonies," a collection of holiday classics and seasonal music featuring Z. Randall Stroope's "Hodie," "Three American Carols," by Mack Willberg, and a medley of holiday songs from Broadway.

Moore Brass, a brass quintet, will accompany the chorus. The MCCS Holiday Concert has become a popular Sandhills tradition in which families and friends usher in the holidays.

The concert will be held Sunday, Dec. 2, at 4 p.m., in Owens Auditorium at Sandhills Community College.

The spring concert will include "In Windsor Forest" and "Toward the Unknown Region," by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and "Feel the Spirit," a collection of American spirituals by John Rutter.

"Windsor Forest," adapted from the opera "Sir John in Love," includes words by William Shakespeare. "Toward the Unknown Region" includes the poetry of Walt Whitman.

The concert will feature orchestral accompaniment and will be held Sunday, April 28, at 4 p.m., in Robert E. Lee Auditorium at Pinecrest High School.

This season, a grant provided by the Moore County Community Foundation will allow area high school and junior high school students to attend the spring concert at no charge.

The new board of directors for the 2012-2013 season includes Mary Ann Young, president; Dale Erickson, vice president; Susan Lawhon, secretary; Joe Currie, treasurer; Sondra Nelson, David Rathbone, Rollin Shaw, Bill Strickland, Molly Webster and Anne Dorsey, ex officio.

"Singers from all walks of life are encouraged to join the Society, and enjoy a sense of cultural and artistic community," says a spokesman.

No auditions are required. Registration for the season will be held Tuesday, Sept. 4, starting at 6:30 p.m., at Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church, at 330 South May St. in Southern Pines. Rehearsals begin at 7:30 p.m.

Registration for new members will continue until Tuesday, Sept. 18. Rehearsals are held each Tuesday evening from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Learn more at about the Society at the website www.moorecountychoral society.org, or call (910) 692-8306 or (910) 215-0730.