Join us Sunday December 22, 2019 for the 13th annual Messiah sing-along at Christ Lutheran Church, 5945 Kapiolani St, Hilo HI 96720 (click link to open new window in Google Maps).
Bring your own music score or borrow one of ours. Sing the choruses alongside community chorus members, or just sit and enjoy. Soloists are D’Andrea Pelletier, Roni Koscik, Tom Mirenda, and Barry Brandes. Accompaniment on piano and organ by Walter Greenwood and Rick Mazurowski.
Free event; donations welcomed
During the dedication concert for a new organ at the Church of the Holy Cross in 2007, a germ of an idea occurred to Tom McAlexander that the Church would be a great place for a Messiah sing-along. At intermission he shared that idea with then Palace Theater organist Bob Alder, whose only remark was, “Yes. Make it happen.” So after making arrangements through Pastor Tom Olcott, the first annual Messiah sing-along took place in their sanctuary. The sing-along remained at Holy Cross until after Pastor Olcott retired, then in 2014 it was moved to Christ Lutheran Church. By request of Pastor Ron Kent of First United Protestant Church, this year it will be presented there as the concluding event of their 150th anniversary year celebrations.
Singer or not, everyone is invited to this sing-along. Audience members who wish to sing may bring their own score, or a copy may be borrowed at the door. Members of the Hilo Community Chorus will be strategically placed in the pews to act as section leaders (look for the soprano/alto/tenor/bass signs on the pews). Of course you may sit and sing wherever you wish or just enjoy the singing. The sing-along will also feature the most famous of all choruses, “Hallelujah,” and end with “Worthy Is the Lamb” and the final “Amen.” The event is free (with calabash), and everyone is welcome.
Conductor is Tom McAlexander and accompanists are Walter Greenwood, organ and Rick Mazurowski, piano. Soloists are Andrea Pelletier, soprano; Lisa Katherine Taylor, alto; Barry Brandes, bass; and Ian McMillan, tenor.
This event is co-sponsored by First United Protestant Church and the Hilo Community Chorus. The Church is located at 1350 Waianuenue Ave. (above the Hospital and Kaiser), There will be two open rehearsals, one at the UH-Hilo rehearsal room on Monday, December 10, at 6:30 PM and the other at the Church on Saturday, December 15 at 2:00 p.m. Anyone who cares to join in for a refresher course before the sing-along is welcome. For more information, call Tom McAlexander, 985-7192, or email tommac@hawaii.rr.com.
Our upcoming concert featured in the Hawaii Tribune Herald here http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/community/collaborating-holidays-soprano-keyboardist-perform-hilo-community-chorus
Aloha everyone,
The music is here and we are ready to begin rehearsals for the fall. All we need is for the time to pass, as our first rehearsal will be Monday, August 28, at 6:30 pm at the UH-Hilo rehearsal room (click link to open Google Maps window). They’ve been working on the room during the summer, so the A/C shouldn’t blow directly on singers any more. The concert will be on the afternoon of Saturday, December 2, at First United Protestant Church (above Kaiser) in Hilo.
There will be NO REHEARSAL on Labor Day, September 4, and rehearsals will resume the following Monday, September 11.
The program will include Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen’s Magnificat (with Amy Horst as soprano soloist) and Mark Hayes’ International Carol Suites –Nos. I – III (with soloists from the Chorus). You can listen to the Arnesen here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWaQ2Fh7xzlNMYKVWLAZ8sLIv13AoM3wE, and the Hayes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbMuAa0cSzQ. (Kim is one of my Facebook friends. Although he doesn’t really know me from Adam, it was through my Facebook friendship with Joe Martin that we got him to come and conduct us in concert. Who knows what the future may bring with Kim?)
The semester dues remain at $45 and the music cost is $25. Please pay by check ($70) made payable to “Hilo Community Chorus.” Since we only had 42 singers for our spring semester, I only ordered 50 copies of the music (I usually order 60). So the music will be on a first come/first served basis. We will not save music, but if you have to miss the first rehearsal(s), you may have a friend purchase the music for you. We will order any extra copies we may need, but it may take a few weeks to receive it. Incidentally, the dues are waived for full-time college and high school students.
For those of you going with me to New York in January, I am still awaiting word from DCINY, and I’m sure that they are still awaiting word from Sir Karl. I assure you that we will have sufficient rehearsals to learn the music before we go. Meanwhile, the second $200 payment is due in mid-August, so please send me your checks made payable to “Hilo Community Chorus,” with memo note “DCINY.” My address is PO Box 383, Volcano, HI 96785. I will send them in bulk to our treasurer so he can send one check to DCINY.
I’m looking forward to a great season with some great music.
Aloha,
Tom
Our main concert date is Saturday, December 3 at 2:00 pm, at First United Protestant Church, Hilo HI.
Hilo Community Chorus will also again participate in the Holiday Concert at the University of Hilo Performing Arts Center on Sunday, December 11, 2PM.
Our annual Messiah sing-along will be on Sunday, December 18, at 2:00 PM at Christ Lutheran Church, Hilo HI.
NEW THIS YEAR: we will be participating as well in the holiday show at the Palace Theater also on Sunday, December 18, more details to be announced.
Optional summer rehearsals began on June 13 and continue every other (alternate) Mondays throughout the summer (June 27, July 11, July 25, August 8, August 22). Summer rehearsals are optional and are specifically for John Rutter’s Magnificat to get a head start on this rather challenging music. Rehearsals are at the usual UH rehearsal room (click here for location on Google Maps) from 6:30- 8:30PM. Summer dues will be $15 and music fee is $8. The music fee is just for the Rutter. Interested singers can join the summer rehearsals at any time.
Our regular Fall rehearsals for the December concert will begin on Monday, August 29, 2016.
Hilo Community Chorus 