At Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre, a seasonal event known as the Sing-Along Messiah has become a community tradition. The audience joins a choir to participate in Handel’s famous oratorio, Messiah. For the first time on the Coast the Messiah Choir under the direction of local conductors David Poon and Sarah Poon invite the audience to join in on a Sing-Along Messiah on Dec. 23 at 2 p.m. at the Sechelt Band Hall.
“It’s the start of a new tradition here,” said Sarah Poon. She and David took over the ongoing Messiah Choir – you heard them in June singing Part III of Messiah – after choir director Joy McLeod retired and moved away. The choir members have been rehearsing since September.
But can anyone join in? Even if you have a voice like a tree frog or can’t read music? Yes, it is not necessary to read music and if you can’t sing, you can listen and read along with the words in your programme then join in on the famous Hallelujah Chorus. If you have the score, bring it along and if you want to purchase it they will be for sale. Audience will be seated in assigned areas where choir members wearing badges will help sort out the different parts. If you are a soprano, for example, you will sit with the other sopranos. If you don’t know which part to sing, you will still be welcome. Before Messiah begins, Sarah said, “David will lead a vocal warm-up for the audience of Christmas carols, and then we will practise by reading through the carols. I think it will put everybody in a singing mood!”
Solos will be sung by members of the choir and they are delighted to have Louis Dillon, now studying voice at University of Victoria, perform a solo.
“Some of the music is difficult,” Sarah said, so they have assembled a seasonal group of experienced musicians, the Coast Messiah Orchestra, especially to play for this concert.
The Friday, Dec. 15, concert is also a performance from the Messiah Choir – just for listening, not for singing. It will be held at 7 p.m. at St. John’s United Church, 5085 Davis Bay Road. Tickets are $25 at the door or call 604-885-9015 to see if advance tickets are still available.
On Dec. 23 the Sing-Along Messiah is held at 2 p.m. at the Sechelt Band Hall, 5432 Xenichen Ave., Sechelt. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Scores for $15 are available by emailing [email protected] or at the door for $20.
“If you do have a singing voice and a sense of the music, you’ll have a wonderful time,” Sarah said.
