Chamber Choir and orchestra practice ‘Messiah.’
Anna Broussard | Collegian
Carrying on the quadrennial tradition, the Hillsdale College Choir, Chamber Choir, and Orchestra will perform the entirety of George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” in Christ Chapel on Friday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. and then again on Sunday, April 27, at 3 p.m.
Composed in 1742, the roughly two-and-a-half hour baroque style oratorio has 53 parts telling the story of Christ and his time on earth.
“There are certain books that every student that comes through the school will study,” Choir and Orchestra Director James Holleman said. “This is such a monumental piece, it kind of falls into that category. It is a pillar of Western music.”
Holleman said between the two performances, the concert will feature solos from 49 students.
“When I came here to build the music program and the choir and the orchestra, I thought, ‘OK, these freshmen I have my first year, when they’re seniors, let’s do ‘Messiah,’” Holleman said. “Let’s do it every four years, so every student has a chance to either be in the orchestra or the choir or simply be part of the audience.’ So we did that.”
The last performance, in 2021, was the first to take place in Christ Chapel. Holleman first directed “Messiah” at Hillsdale in 2000. It was performed at College Baptist to accommodate the hundreds of student performers.
“I remember the first time we did it, we had a custodian in the fine arts building, and he and I went over there and went up underneath the stage in the back at College Baptist, and there are these giant beams,” he said. “I was having these nightmares of the whole thing collapsing with a bunch of choir members on the risers.”
Senior Stephen Berntson sings in both the Chamber choir and the College Choir and said Holleman requires students to buy the score so that they can mark it up and have it as a souvenir.
“It will be nice to keep forever as a reminder,” he said.
Berntson said he has really enjoyed preparing to perform “Messiah.”
“The best part of performing Handel’s ‘Messiah’ is bringing together the whole music department together for one epic production,” he said.
Admission is free but tickets must be reserved by calling (517) 607-2848 or emailing boxoffice@hillsdale.edu.
