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Nearly 80 area musicians combine their talents to present a performance of George Frideric Händel’s Messiah on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Greenville High School Performing Arts Center.

“This is a special holiday tradition that has been performed in our community by local musicians every few years since the mid-1970s,” said Valerie Vander Mark, MCC Emeritus Performing Arts Coordinator and concert producer. “Years ago it was sponsored by the Creative Arts Council, and I felt it was very important to continue the tradition. The most exciting thing about it for me is the different blend of talent that we get each time we perform it. Though Händel wrote this great work over 250 years ago, it is always a new mix of singers and instrumentalists, so it is never the same performance twice.”

Normally we perform just Part 1, the “Christmas” portion of the work, but this year we will be performing selections from all three parts. The audience will hear the iconic “Hallelujah Chorus” as usual, but there will be other movements that, though they won’t be as familiar, may be just as exciting, including the very grand last movement, “Worthy is the Lamb”, which ends with a multitude of glorious “Amens.”

Händel composed Messiah in 1741 in just 24 days. It was first performed in a concert given for charitable purposes in Dublin, Ireland, on April 13, 1742. Händel conducted the performance in person.

Alma College Professor Emeritus Will Nichols is conducting this year’s performance.

Nichols was the choral music teacher at Greenville High School and Middle School from 1978 to 1982. After graduate studies at MSU, Nichols became a Professor of Music and conductor of the Alma College Choirs – a position he held for 41 years until his retirement in December. In preparation for life after Alma College, Nichols and his wife, Pamela Jorgensen, moved back to Greenville in 2017 and live at Turk Lake. He is eager to be involved with the musical life of the Greenville community and excited to make new musical friendships and rekindle old ones.

Non-perishable food donations will be collected for those in need.

Free tickets may be reserved at  https://gpac.ludus.com or by calling 616-225-6109. For more information, email Valerie Vander Mark at valv.montcalm@gmail.com. 

Choir members:

Cheryl Bailey, Cynthia Batchelor, Krista Botting, Don Burns, Maureen Burns, Jody Butler, Gail Byers, Deborah Christensen, Christina Day, James De Goede, Carol Deady, Mark L. Dombroske, Margaret Durga, Dorothy Farrel, Marian Flynn, Ed Ford, Leighann Fries, Ryan Garlick, Ruth Heimbecker, John Hoppough, Claude Johnson, Brenda Jolls, David E. Jones, Summer Kinard, Joyce Kitchenmaster, Vicki Launs, Kelly Leppink, Charlotte Lothian, Nancy Lundwall, Ken Lundwall, Pamela Masterson, Randy Masterson, Steve Mills, Julie Momber, Michele Monroe, Laura Montoye, Sally Morais, Larry Moss, Ann Mulcahy, Timothy Mulcahy, Katrina Nelson, Joshua Randall, Emmanuel Rivera, Jeannette Roberts, Shannon Rop, Anya Rop, Lois Simpson, Don Smucker, Frances Snyder, Ian Sotak, Cheryl Thelen, Greg Vander Mark, Valerie Vander Mark, Wendy VanTassell, Lynne Welder and Kathy Wilkin. Soloists: Ryan Garlick, Tenor; Mark Dombroske, Bass; Greg Vander Mark, Bass; Marian Flynn, Alto; Kirsta Botting, Soprano; Brenda Jolls, Soprano; Katrina Nelson, Soprano; Julie Momber, Soprano; Valerie VanderMark, Soprano; Summer Kinard, Soprano; Joshua Randall, Bass; and Larry Moss, Bass.

Orchestra:

1st Violins: John Mogor and Heidi Kutzli; 2nd Vioins: Aayva Peacock and Lauren Gibbs; Viola: Brenda Lobbezoo; Cello: Grace Peterson; Bass: Weston Bernath; Flutes: Cheryl Mumford and Jean Hudson; Clarinets: Mary Palmer and Keith Hudson; Oboe: Christine Barfuss; Bassoon: Tanner Reynolds; Trumpets: Ben Piela and Cory Smith; Timpani: Mark Warnshuis; Rehearsal Pianist: Lois Simpson; and Performance Keyboardist: James Schippers.

Media inquiries, please contact:

Shelly Springborn
Director of Communications and Public Relations
shellys@montcalm.edu
989-560-0833