MUSIC

Memorial Congregational Church of Sudbury will present its annual performance of The Messiah, the famous oratorio by G. F. Handel on Sunday, December 9 at 3:00 PM.

This year marks the 39th anniversary of the founding of the event held at MCC. Minister of Music, Cathy Meyer will direct the orchestra, soloists, and the community chorus. Valerie Clemans returns for the sixth time as concertmaster of the MCC Festival Orchestra, leading the Baroque-sized orchestra of strings, two oboes, two trumpets, bassoon, harpsichord, organ and timpani. The orchestra comprises loyal returning players from Sudbury, Wayland, Weston, Waltham, Lincoln, Concord, Maynard, Stow, Hudson, Marlborough, and other Metrowest towns. Taken all together, this year’s orchestra boasts over fifty years of making the Messiah Festival Orchestra one of the finest community pickup orchestras in the area.

Singing the solos this year are three returning professionals and one newcomer. Soprano Rebekah Alexander returns after her successful appearance in the MCC season opener “This is my letter to the World” in November, now in her sixth appearance at MCC. Christian Milde sings the tenor solos in his second year as MCC resident tenor, and veteran favorite John Whittlesey sings the baritone solos, having sung for nearly ten years at MCC concerts. Sudbury native Alison McLellan appears for the first time at MCC to sing the alto solos.

MCC’s Messiah Sing is not just a performance; it’s collaboration between the orchestra, the soloists, the director, and the devoted community chorus of singers from all walks of life. The public is invited to participate in the event as members of the chorus, singing the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass parts in all the choral numbers to be performed. Chorus members may bring their own choral scores, or may borrow scores from the church for the duration of the performance.
Admission to the performance is free, with a suggested donation of $10 taken at the door.