Choral Society sing with MSO

IN the world of choral singing Handel’s Messiah is every bit a Christmas tradition as presents and plum pudding with the Hallelujah Chorus the cherry on top.

Ballarat Choral Society will perform this annual yuletide celebration with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Chorus on Sunday, 8 December at Loreto College Ballarat.

BCS founded over a hundred years ago, winning many awards over time including the Grand Champion Choral Contest at the South Street Competitions in 1911, currently has singers ranging in age from their 30s and up into their 70s and older.

The Society’s musical director Helen Duggan said, “Singing in choirs gives people a sense of social connectedness and is good for your sense of well-being.”

Under the baton of Warren Trevelyan-Jones, 30 singers from the BCS together with another 30 from the MSO Chorus will perform at the concert.

Ms Duggan said, “It is very lively and very approachable music. Handel’s music was very commercial in its time, it has an instant appeal and is very easy to follow.”

“I have sung the Hallelujah Chorus I don’t know how many times in my life and I think if I ever have to sing that again I will go spare and then the performance comes along and you sing it and its just right and it’s just wonderful, and it’s wonderful for the audience as well.”

While the four-and-a-half-minute Hallelujah Chorus is recognisable world-wide it may not be so well known that Handel’s composition was actually written for Easter with only the first third of the work about the birth of Jesus while the remainder is about the crucifixion and the resurrection.

Mr Trevelyan-Jones will deliver a pre-concert talk on Handle’s Messiah at 4.15pm which will equally be of interest to those who are new to the composition and to those who are familiar with it.

Handel’s Messiah is set for Saturday, 8 December at 5.00pm at Mary’s Mount Centre, Loreto College 1600 Sturt Street Ballarat.

Adult $55, Concessions $50, Her Maj Members $45, groups (10+) $45, U3A or Probus Member $50, and Children $15. Bookings online at hermaj.com or phone 5333 5888.