NATIVITY SCENES TO GO ON DISPLAY CHOIRS, CRECHES SET AT FESTIVAL.

Byline: Daily News

PALMDALE - Nearly 700 Nativity scenes and 30 musical groups and individual performers will be featured at the Christmas Creche Art and Music Festival sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Opening the event will be a high school choral festival at 7 p.m. tonight with the Antelope Valley, Palmdale, Quartz Hill and Littlerock high school choirs.

``We hope to make the high school choral festival an annual event. Several high schools were not able to make it this year but said they were very interested in participating next year,'' said Nathleen Albright, musical coordinator.

Featuring Nativity scenes, depicting the birth of Jesus, in materials from bread dough to ceramic and wood, made in nations around the world, the display is at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' East Lancaster Stake, 44330 27th St. E. at Avenue J.

The display is open from 6 to 9 p.m. today, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. Sunday and noon to 6 p.m. Monday. The festival is free and open to the public.

Tonight's choral show will feature performances by the choirs individually, and then a final song as a mass choir.

Antelope Valley High School Choir director John Crocker will lead the combined choirs performing ``Sing Unto God'' by George Frideric Handel from ``Judas Maccabaeus.''

The 22 groups and individuals performing Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon include the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Choir, Antelope Valley Community Orchestra, Summerwinds Woodwind Quintet, Frohsinn German Singers, organist Dr. Raleigh Bastein and the Antelope Valley Children's Choir.

A ``Messiah'' singalong - during which the audience will sing the famous Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's holiday oratorio - is 5 p.m. Sunday. A Christmas carol singalong will be held at noon Monday.

The Rosamond Young Women and Lana Cooper and Company will perform starting at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

``One of my major goals was to have larger community involvement in our musical presentation at the festival,'' said Albright. ``For amateur groups that have Christmas repertoires, we provide them with another venue to share their talent.'' Music also adds to the experience for festivalgoers, she said. ``When people come to the festival, they get a feast for their eyes with the abundance of Nativity sets on display. Music helps create an even greater emotional experience in this setting by bringing together the visual and auditory senses,'' Albright said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Christmas Creche Art and Music Festival

WHERE: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' East Lancaster Stake, 44330 27th St. E. at Avenue J.

WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m. today, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. Sunday and noon to 6 p.m. Monday.

ADMISSION: Free

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Cindy Fassett of Lancaster arranges her Nativity scene for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints East Lancaster Stake's display of hundreds of the holiday sets, which will be shown through the weekend.

(2 -- color) A Nativity scene made of gold thread and beads, which took Johnnie Garrison 14 years to complete, will be on display.

(3) Brenna Tolman, 10, of Lancaster looks at the statues in one of the Christmas scenes showing the newborn Jesus Christ.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer

Box:

IF YOU GO (see text)