Christmas with the Chorus
When I joined the chorus, I knew they sang in “Messiah” every December. I also heard that they sometimes sang in Christmas POPs. I figured I could handle Messiah in early December.
But that year they changed their policy. Everyone was now required to sing in both. And I found out what stress at Christmas really meant. First came Messiah. We had only four practices before we sang the massive work. Most chorus members had been singing it all their lives. I had sung it once in college thirty-five years ago. Then, we had two weeks to learn all the POPS music and four practices followed by four performances.
So this year I braced myself and dove in. POPs came first. Most of the music was stuff we had done in previous years, so the practice was not a problem. But the POPs concert itself was a lack-luster event-not the usual sparkling jewel to start the Christmas season.
Then we dove into Messiah. The two rehearsals with a new conductor left us feeling nervous. We just weren’t ready. But we were wrong. Our young conductor absolutely came alive at the concert. His motions were clear and easy to follow. His facial expressions told us exactly how to sing. We pulled out all the stops and sang better than we had ever sung. At the end, the capacity crowd leapt to its feet for three standing ovations.
Jim, who has attended many Messiah concerts in his lifetime, said it’s the best concert he has ever heard.
But that year they changed their policy. Everyone was now required to sing in both. And I found out what stress at Christmas really meant. First came Messiah. We had only four practices before we sang the massive work. Most chorus members had been singing it all their lives. I had sung it once in college thirty-five years ago. Then, we had two weeks to learn all the POPS music and four practices followed by four performances.
So this year I braced myself and dove in. POPs came first. Most of the music was stuff we had done in previous years, so the practice was not a problem. But the POPs concert itself was a lack-luster event-not the usual sparkling jewel to start the Christmas season.
Then we dove into Messiah. The two rehearsals with a new conductor left us feeling nervous. We just weren’t ready. But we were wrong. Our young conductor absolutely came alive at the concert. His motions were clear and easy to follow. His facial expressions told us exactly how to sing. We pulled out all the stops and sang better than we had ever sung. At the end, the capacity crowd leapt to its feet for three standing ovations.
Jim, who has attended many Messiah concerts in his lifetime, said it’s the best concert he has ever heard.