time to 'Set the House on Fire' in Newington

The 12th annual “Set the House on Fire” gospel concert will celebrate Martin Luther King Day on Monday, Jan. 18, with several spirited musical acts. The concert at Newington Town Hall will feature The Faithful Harmonize Jrs., The Funky Divas of Gospel and the Set the House on Fire Band.

Seacoast artist Sandi Clark has presented the concert every year since 1999. The evening will feature inspirational messages delivered by Don Moses, of Saco, Maine, and Fredric Taylor, of Rollinsford. Sharon Jones will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies.

The Faithful Harmonize Jrs. is a mostly a cappella chorus of female singers from New York City, sometimes accompanied by piano or organ. The musical family has been performing together for 30 years.

Joining the headliners will be Seacoast chorus The Funky Divas of Gospel, under the direction of Jim White. The Set the House on Fire Band, featuring vocalist Sandy Casey with a number of local instrumentalists, will open the evening.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 at Newington Town Hall, 205 Nimble Hill Road, Newington. Tickets are $15, or $12 for seniors, students, groups and military members. A portion of the proceeds will go to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Nathaniel Holloway Scholarship Fund. You can purchase tickets in advance by mailing a check to Jukwaa Mazoa, 93 Beane Lane, Newington, NH 03801. For more information, contact Sandi Clark at 603-436-2242 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sandpipers to pay tribute to MLK in Newington and Rye

Sandpipers, the Seacoast Children’s Chorus, will present two upcoming concerts in honor of Martin Luther King Day. The shows take place on Saturday, Jan. 16, at Holy Trinity Church in Newington, and Sunday, Jan. 17, at Rye Congregational Church.

The Sandpipers will perform choral music in a variety of styles, all focused around the theme of journeys. Some of the pieces will address life’s struggles and the search for courage and peace, while others will tell stories about the quest for enlightenment. The program ends with a set of spirituals addressing the theme of freedom, including “Wade in the Jordan River” and “Get on Board.”

Sandpipers is an auditioned treble chorus consisting of boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 16. Based in Portsmouth, the chorus offers its singers vocal instruction, sight-reading and theory skills, and provides them with the experience of singing in public as part of a musical ensemble.

The show on Jan. 16 begins at 7:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, 22 Fox Run Road, Newington. The show on Jan. 17 begins at 3 p.m. at Rye Congregational Church, 580 Washington Road, Rye. Suggested donations of $8 for adults and $3 for children will be collected at the door. For more information, contact 603-868-2911 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it