If ‘tis the season you celebrate, make it a musical one. Turn an ear to your favorite performers or make a joyful sound your own.

Lincoln Center

Handel’s Messiah with the New York Philharmonic
High culture for the holidays. It wouldn’t be Christmas for some without George Frideric Handel's uplifting Baroque-era oratorio.
December 18-22; see site for performance schedule
Avery Fisher Hall, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza
Tickets: $33-$107

Downtown Brooklyn

Leonard Cohen at Barclay’s Center
The shy, introspective singer descends from his tower of song for a rare serenade to the year’s end at a venue often associated with more extroverted players.
Thursday, December 20, 8PM
Barclay’s Center, 620 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Tickets: $29-$285

Lower East Side

The Surfjohn Stevens Christmas Sing-a-Long
He’s not purple, but indie-pop conceptualist Sufjan Stevens might as well be Barney the dinosaur: You may never get his memorable melodies out of your head. In addition, the irrepressible songwriter proposes to turn the venerable Bowery Ballroom into an ice-skating rink just for the occasion. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Friday, December 21, 9PM
Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey Street
Tickets: $20

Williamsburg

Duck Down Music and Javotti Media Holiday Show
It’s not all silver bells and roasting chestnuts this holiday season; Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch and friends roll up in a different kind of sleigh.
Tuesday, December 18, 9PM
Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 North 6th Street
Tickets: $20 advance/$25 day of show

East Village

Second Annual Holiday Jamboree for Grownups
Remember when the season was about off-key carols and school pageantry you’d practiced for weeks to perfect? Add your voice to the fun at this downtown sing-along to benefit New York Cares.
Tuesday, December 18, 8PM
Drom, 85 Avenue A
$10

City-wide

Make Music Wiinter
The concept behind Make Music NY: No matter where you are in NYC, you can join notable creative music-makers in joyful sound. The same folks are making the shortest day of the year a tuneful one with winter music parades in 11 different places throughout the city from the Village to the High Line to Harlem. A great experience for little drummer boys and girls and anyone else who’s got rhythm.
December 21; see site for neighborhood gathering places, times, what to bring and what to expect.
$Free