Selections from Handel’s “Messiah,” folk songs and show tunes will be performed by the Tusculum College Community Chorus in its spring concert on Monday, May 4.
The concert will be presented at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts building. The concert is free and open to the public.
In the first half of the program, the Chorus will be joined by the Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra to perform selected selections from parts two and three of the renowned oratorio “Messiah.”
Dr. David Hendricksen, conductor of the Chorus, presented a lecture about the theology and music of “Messiah” on Sunday afternoon as a prelude to the concert. Hendricksen discussed Handel’s genius in creating a masterpiece that infuses drama into the music itself.
Also explored by Hendricksen was the purpose of Charles Jennens, Handel’s textual partner, in his contribution to the work. Rather than a poetic telling of a Biblical account, Jennens compiled Scripture to form the text of the oratorio with the purpose of showing Christianity to be true through the telling of a story of faith about the goodness of God in bringing about redemption.
In addition to the Messiah, the Community Chorus will also perform a variety of madrigals, folk songs and show tunes. The Chorus will be accompanied by James Winfree in the event, which is part of Art Outreach’s Acts, Arts, Academia 2008-09 performance and lecture series.
For more information about concert, please call Tusculum College Arts Outreach at 423-798-1620 or e-mail jhollowell@tusculum.edu.
Acts, Arts, Academia is a program of Tusculum College Arts Outreach and is supported by Dr. Sam Miller in memory of Mary Agnes Ault Miller, Hearts for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, Society of Cicero, and Arts Outreach.