IT may be a well-worn phrase, but there really is something for everyone in the Orchestra of St John’s Christmas season.

With three mouth-watering concerts coming up over the next fortnight, this could be just the thing to ease yourself into the festive spirit.

First up, on December 14 is a recital of traditional Christmas music by OSJ Ashmolean Voices, which made its debut in October and now, as artistic director John Lubbock puts it, gets its “first proper outing” in its own right.

The recital is the final event in the Ashmolean Proms launched in April and consists of a series of six themed concerts, each drawing inspiration from exhibits in the museum. Concerts take place in the atmospheric Ashmolean Atrium. “They have proved to be really popular,” John tells me. “So we’ve got another series next year.”

John’s main choir, OSJ Voices, running since 1994, is based in London, so he set up an Oxford-based choir for his Ashmolean project. “They’re young Oxford singers, and they’re a jolly good bunch.

“The carols are unaccompanied, and it’s all wonderful, beautiful Christmas music by people like Byrd, Victoria, Bruckner and Mendelssohn. I’ve done about half a dozen arrangements, and there are slightly more modern works.”

If you’re looking for more familiar fare, December 17 brings the OSJ’s traditional Messiah at Dorchester Abbey. The Orchestra of St John’s and OSJ Voices will be joined by soloists Hannah Nye (soprano), Roderick Morris (counter tenor), John Pierce (tenor) and David Pike (baritone) for what will undoubtedly be a moving performance against the stunning backdrop of this 12th-century abbey.

The season closes on December 19 with a spectacular finale — a screening of Raymond Briggs’ classic The Snowman, with live accompaniment by the OSJ with two performances, at 4pm and 6pm, so this is definitely one for all the family.

“I’ve done The Snowman often, in London, and it is very good with the live orchestra and a live singer,” John says. “That really brings the film to life. So we thought we’d try it in the Town Hall.

“We’ve got a projector coming, and a big screen above the orchestra. It will be wonderful. The first time I did it, I realised just how much more exciting to have live players than the soundtrack.”

Providing live accompaniment to a film is tricky, though, as John admits. “It’s extremely difficult, one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” he says with a wry laugh. “You have to get the music with the film. You can be out by a millisecond here, then 10 bars later you’re a bar out. So I’ve got to work on that! But it’s fun, and it gets families in.”

The concert includes two Sleigh Rides — Leroy Anderson and Mozart — and traditional carols. There will also be a performance of the winning entry in the Oxfordshire Schools Winter Song competition, jointly run by OSJ and Blackwell’s Bookshop.

For more information, visit www. osj.org.uk or call 0845 680 1926.