[211] Share holiday joy at MTSU’s annual presentation of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ Nov. 28

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The voices of the MTSU Schola Cantorum and the Middle Tennessee Choral Society will blend with an orchestra to celebrate the upcoming holiday season at the 32nd annual performance of George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah,” set Monday, Nov. 28.

The concert, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 28 at Murfreesboro’s First United Methodist Church at 265 W. Thompson Lane, will feature guest soloists as well as student soloists.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12.50 for seniors and $10 for children 12 and under and are available online at https://mtchoralsociety.org and at the door. MTSU faculty, staff and students will be admitted free with valid IDs.

The MTSU “Messiah” production once again will feature a professional orchestra and MTSU student, faculty and guest soloists performing the Christmas portion of the 1741 oratorio, which includes some of its most popular recitatives, arias and choruses drawn from the King James Bible and the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.

The choruses to be performed include “And the glory of the Lord,” “And He shall purify,” “For unto us a child is born,” “Glory to God” and the familiar “Hallelujah” chorus.

This year’s soloists are soprano Dina Cancryn, an MTSU vocal music professor, and bass John Kramar, a voice professor at East Carolina University School of Music in Greenville, North Carolina. MTSU student soloists include:

• Daniel Fields, a senior audio production and music dual major from Lawrenceville, Georgia, who’ll solo on the “Comfort ye, my people” verse from the book of Isaiah.
• Raphael Llana, a senior music industry major from Gainesville, Florida, who’ll perform the “Ev’ry valley shall be exalted” solo from Isaiah.
• Hannah Sims, a senior voice major from Friendship, Tennessee, who’ll solo on “But who may abide the day of His coming” from the book of Malachi.
• Nathaniel “Nate” Paul, a sophomore voice major from Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, who’ll perform the “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth” solo.
• Kimberlin Lacy, a senior voice major from Ooltewah, Tennessee; Kayla Schindler, a junior voice major from Huntsville, Alabama; Mileah Milstead, a sophomore theater major from McMinnville, Tennessee; and Emily Harrison, a senior music industry major from Roswell, Georgia, whom Dr. Raphael Bundage, a professor of vocal performance in MTSU's School of Music and the Choral Society music director/conductor, called “the four angels,” will perform the annunciation to the shepherds verses from the book of Luke.
• Jernie Talles-Millan, a senior music industry major from Vero Beach, Florida, who’ll solo on “He shall feed His flock like a shepherd” from Isaiah.
• Amelia Lufkin, a sophomore voice major from Knoxville, Tennessee, who’ll solo on the “Come unto Him” verse from the book of Matthew.
• Collin Peterson, a senior voice and music education major from Murfreesboro, who’ll perform “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron” from the Psalms.

You can hear a preview of the groups' work at http://youtu.be/n8r4xRoehuI, where the Schola Cantorum performs the "Ave Maria (Angelus Domini)" arranged by Franz Biebl.

For more information on this and other concerts in the MTSU School of Music, call 615-898-2493 or visit http://www.mtsumusic.com and click on the "Concert Calendar" link.

For details on joining the Middle Tennessee Choral Society, contact Bundage at raphael.bundage@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2849.