Mat-Su Messiah

12/07/2025

Concert POSTPONED to 12/14 at 2pm & 7pm

Due to the power outage, we will postpone the concert to next week, Sunday 12/14. I know this poses a conflict for members of the Mat-su Community Chorus.

The current plan is to sing at the same times, with the same call times.

12/07/2025

Hello everyone,
Given the current weather conditions the following decision has been made:
At 10:00 am on Sunday, Dec 7, an email will go out to let everyone know if Messiah is a go for tomorrow. We will then meet at 1:00 pm.

If Messiah is postponed then it will occur on 12/14. Please let me know if you cannot make a performance on 12/14.

Thank you for sharing your talents.

--
Ronna Williams

11/17/2025

Final practice schedule combined orchestra & chorus
11/22-Saturday rehearsal with Orchestra 2-4 pm at Colony Chapel Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
11/29- Saturday rehearsal with Orchestra 2-4pm at Wasilla Chapel Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Dellwood)
12/4- Thursday evening dress rehearsal 6-7:30pm at Wasilla Chapel Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Dellwood)
12/7-Performances at Glenn Massay 2pm & 7pm Call times at 1 and 6pm.

10/17/2025

Invite your friends to sing.

The Mat-Su Community Messiah will perform George Frideric Handel’s Messiah oratorio again this December. Since 1990, musicians from throughout the Mat-Su Valley have joined together to perform the Messiah in

10/02/2025

We are doing Messiah this year! Plans for Amahl and the Night Visitors had to be canceled due to a family emergency.

Thankfully, Ronna Williams has agreed to conduct this year as well as organize the orchestra.

Choir rehearsals will begin October 12th.

The pieces to be performed this year:

1 Overture Orchestra 3:44
2 Comfort Ye TENOR 2:59
3 Ev’ry Valley TENOR 3:34
4 And the Glory Chorus 2:45
8 Behold, a Virgin ALTO 0:23
9 O Thou That Tell ALTO 3:56
12 For Unto Us Chorus 4:06
14 There Were Shepherds SOPRANO 1:54
15 And the Angel SOPRANO With 14
16 And Suddenly SOPRANO With 14
17 Glory to God Chorus 1:39
19 Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind SOPRANO 0:26
20 He Shall Feed His Flock SOPRANO 4:59
26 We Like Sheep Chorus 4:10
44 Hallelujah! Chorus 3:44
47 Behold, I Tell BASS 0:36
48 Trumpet Sound BASS 8:38
53/54 Worthy/Amen Chorus 3:27/4:08
for a total of 63.13 minutes

Solo pieces are
Tenor #2/3. Comfort Ye/ Ev’ry Valley
Alto #8/9. Behold a Virgin/O Thou That Tell
Soprano #14/15/16. There Were Shepherds/And the Angel/and
Suddenly
Soprano #19/20 Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind/He Shall Feed
His Flock
Bass #47/48. Behold I Tell/Trumpet Sound

Practices are at the Wasilla Building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (821 E. Dellwood St.,Wasilla AK 99654).

If you do not have your own music, please arrive at the first rehearsal by 5:30pm.

10/12- 6-7:30pm, solo auditions after rehearsal
10/19- 6-7:30pm, solo auditions after rehearsal
10/26- 6-7:30pm
11/2- 6-7:30pm
11/9- 6-7:30pm
11/16- 6-7:30pm
11/22-11/23 TBD
11/29- Saturday rehearsal with Orchestra 2-4pm
12/4- Thursday evening dress rehearsal 6-7:30pm

12/7-Performances at Glenn Massay 2pm & 7pm

11/18/2024

10/31/2024

UPDATE for Sunday Nov 3rd Practice

Reminder that there is NO full choir or orchestra rehearsal this day - Nov 3rd.

6:00-6:45 P.M. = Acapella Group ONLY (Suzette will accompany on piano.)

6:45-7:15 P.M. = Soloist Practice (Lily Cowan, Joshua Anderson-Reed, and Mark Hansen) (Suzette will accompany on piano.)

******
In the links below are study aids for each part. Please arrive well practiced and confident in your assigned part, and we will work on performance dynamics.

No. 25 – And With His Stripes (acapella group only): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xRZwTeTt1Q - Soprano

Sopranos:
Jodi Vandike
Heidi Barnes
Christine Kendrick
Dorothy Hight

No. 25 – And With His Stripes (acapella group only): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2z0QknaybI - Alto

Altos:
Kathryn Blackett
Amity Condie
Amber Anderson
Laura Brooks

No. 25 – And With His Stripes (acapella group only): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdLCfVeklFo - Tenor

Tenors:
Christina Wells
Blaine Lee
Brian McMullan
Zoe West

No. 25 – And With His Stripes (acapella group only): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzGsBv3IvgM - Bass

Bass:
Dan Palmer
Kyle Mann
Mark Hansen
A.J. Seims

No. 11: The People That Walked in Darkness – Bass: Mark Hansen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfW_uzILCKI https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=handel+messiah+choral+aid+the+people+that+walked+in+Darkness&&mid=508F2123368F2BA702C2508F2123368F2BA702C2&&mcid=7BDA7B34BC024FCCA4DE7F5E3A5FD4CB&FORM=VRDGAR (this is a recording of two pieces; No 11 begins at time stamp 2:07)
No. 38: How Beautiful are the Feet: - Soprano – Lily Cowan https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=handel+messiah+choral+aid+how+beautiul+are+the+feet&&mid=C2F40354E66A37C8C80BC2F40354E66A37C8C80B&&mcid=261F136307AD4B7BBF0729500BA4B7D5&FORM=VRDGAR
No. 40: Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage Together – Bass – Joshua Anderson Reed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNcZgu9yFjU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbbUGHfVij4

Please donate $10 to keep Chord Perfect singing at https://www.chordperfect.com/handels-messiah-soprano-chorus-rehearsal-aid/And we'll give you a bonus "Mast...

10/17/2024

CHANGES regarding the following three REHEARSALS:

--October 20th: Choir & Orchestra* will practice together in the CULTURAL HALL (the gym in the same building we normally practice in) from 6:00-7:30 P.M.

--October 27th: SOLOISTS & Chamber Orchestra ONLY from 6:00-7:30 P.M. NO full choir or orchestra.

--November 3rd: ACAPPELLA GROUP ONLY from 6:00-6:45 P.M. NO full choir or orchestra.

*ORCHESTRA Schedule for October 20 Practice:

#12, 44, 53, Flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tympani, strings, organ (Everyone)

#17 Flute, oboe, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tympani, strings, organ (Doesn’t use clarinet, but still need).
Excuse trombone

#24, 26 Flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, strings, organ
Excuse horn

#48 Clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, strings (Doesn’t use flute, oboe, organ, still needed).

#40 Flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, tympani, strings
Excuse trumpet

#1, 4, 25 Oboe, clarinet, bassoon, strings, organ. (Flute is needed later).
Excuse Oboe, organ

#3, 11 Flute, clarinet, bassoon, strings.
#38 Flute, bassoon, string (Clarinet still needed)
Excuse Flute

#2 Clarinet, bassoon, strings
Excuse Clarinet, Bassoon, Non-Chamber Strings

# 13, 14, 15, 16, 20 Chamber strings

Even though many of you will not be needed for practice on the 27th and 3rd, please take this time to practice at home. 🙂 Thank you again for all of your wonderful hard work and for sharing your amazing talents with us, and eventually the community. 😇

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10/16/2024

2024 MAT-SU MESSIAH AUDITION RESULTS

Solos:

No. 2: Comfort Ye – Tenor: Blaine Lee

No. 3: Every Valley Shall Be Exalted – Tenor: Keith Kinley

No. 11: The People That Walked in Darkness – Bass: Mark Hansen

Soprano Recitatives: Lora Burton (all 4)

No. 14a: There Were Shepherds Abiding in the Field

No. 14b: And Lo, the Angel of the Lord Came Upon Them

No. 15: And the Angel Said Unto Them

No. 16 : And Suddenly There Was With the Angel


No. 20: He Shall Feed His Flock Like A Shepherd – Soprano: Amber Sumner & Alto: Zoe West


No. 25: Acapella Group:

Sopranos: Jodi Vandike
Heidi Barnes
Christine Kendrick
Dorothy Hight

Altos: Kathryn Blackett
Amity Condie
Amber Anderson
Laura Brooks

Tenors: Christina Wells
Blaine Lee
Brian McMullan
Zoe West

Bass: Dan Palmer
Kyle Mann
Mark Hansen
A.J. Seims


No. 38: How Beautiful are the Feet: - Soprano: Lily Cowan


No. 40: Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage Together – Bass: Joshua Anderson Reed


No. 48: The Trumpet Shall Sound – Bass: Todd Baer

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10/10/2024

Here are some notes given by Ms. West and Ms. Stiehr during our 1st rehearsal on 10/6 :

-All rehearsals for choir will be from 6:00pm-7:30pm until closer to the performance, instead of 6:00pm-8:00pm
-We will be singing song #53 Worthy is the Lamb only until section F. Instead of the Amen Chorus, we will go straight into singing song #44 Hallelujah Chorus as our finale
-Throughout, make sure to enunciate, especially all of the consonants

For the songs we are performing, we will be changing the tempos written in the book, it is recommended to start practicing around these speeds to aid in rehearsals.
Here are the new tempos for the songs :
#4 And the Glory of the Lord - 160bpm
#12 For Unto Us a Child is Born - 100bpm
#17 Glory to God - 120bpm
#24 Surely He Hath Born Our Griefs - 58bpm
#26 All We Like Sheep - 115bpm
#44 Hallelujah Chorus - 120bpm
#53 Worthy is the Lamb - When listed as legato (slower sections) we will be at 60bpm, when andante (faster sections) we will be at 115bpm

Send a message to learn more