Grand Blanc Arts Council

Sunday, November 22nd, the Grand Blanc Arts Council will be offering up a Christmas celebration filled with some classical flavor.

The 22nd Annual Messiah Sing will be held at the First Congregational UCC of Grand Blanc, allowing singers of all ages a chance to join in on the Christmas portion of Handel's well-known oratorio, "Messiah."

Arts council president Tom Toohey said the performance usually includes "area church, high school and university choral singers, soloists and instrumentalists." Showtime is 4:30 p.m.; anyone interested in rehearsing and singing in the production should show up at 3 p.m.

Also participating will be Grand Blanc Arts Council member Frank Walker, who's been a part of the show since its formation in the late '80s.

"Back in 1987, a program on PBS showed a community sing in San Francisco," he said. "After talking with some people, we thought, 'We could do that kind of thing in Grand Blanc.'"

W. Gene Coburn will conduct.

They'll provide able backing for the vocalists, who will range from newcomers to professionals from across the county.

Vocal soloists are Laurie DiSabatino, Kathleen Sheehy, and Neal Fatheree.

"It's particularly for people who have sung it in their lives, in college or a church group," Walker said of the featured composition. "Most people have had previous experience with it. We have a pretty loyal following of people. We've sang it for years."

The program is free, and is underwritten by a grant from the Grand Blanc Community Fund, an affiliate of The Community Foundation of Greater Flint.

 

Conductor W. Gene Coburn encourages the audience to take part in the popular carols during 2007's Grand Blanc Community Messiah Sing.

This year's concert will be at 4:30 p.m. Sunday November 22^nd at First Congregational UCC in Grand Blanc.

 

HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE MESSIAH SING-A-LONG

Things You'll Need:

• CD of Handel's "Messiah"
• Schirmer's Edition of the score
  

Study the score several times before attending the first rehearsal. You will notice how many times throughout the sections there is repetition, especially in the lyrics.

Listen to the sections you are performing on CD while going through the score. Pick out your part as the singers sing.

Begin singing the section you are working on with the CD as you listen. Sing softly at first so as to be always aware of the other section's entrances. This will help you come in on time every time.

Look for clues to first notes by listening to what the other parts end on. Often you will find your beginning note is the last note sung by another section, or it is in the chord somewhere.

Don't worry about enunciation during those long runs Handel is famous for. Ex: The word "revealed" in "And the Glory of the Lord" and "healed" in "And With His Stripes we are Healed" stretches out a long time and will lose its shape over time but sound the same from the audiences perspective.

Pay attention to your own line of music.  Other sections will be going all over the place, so ignoring them except for entrances and cut offs will help you stay on track.

Count constantly. If you are counting you will come in and out on time. If you are not counting, the other sections will go on without you and it will take a few measures for you to figure out where you are.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a yellow highlighter to mark your section's part throughout the entire work. This will help guide your eyes to the only the part you need to worry about. Make sure this is OK with your conductor first.
• Remember the conductor is responsible for the orchestra as well as the choir. Know your entrances and cut offs well so even if the conductor doesn't cue you, you'll get in on time.