Get Your Messiah On

Handel’s Messiah is among the best-known choral masterpieces, and for many, the Christmas section of the piece (Part I) is a holiday tradition.  Every year, there are numerous opportunities to hear this music – or sing it yourself.  Anyone who has been a singer for any length of time has probably had at least one opportunity to perform Part 1 of the Messiah, and having learned it, there is great satisfaction in singing it again informally.  Capitalizing on that satisfaction, annual Messiah “singalongs” have been popular for at least the past 60 years.  Every year, there are several in the Sacramento area, and they are already starting to appear.  Dates and sponsors are listed below.  Click on the sponsor to open information about that event in the Sacramento Choral Calendar:

The Noble Experiment – Nov. 10, Roseville

Bethany Presbyterian Church – Dec. 8, South Sacramento

Auburn Symphony – Dec. 10, Auburn

Music in the Mountains – Dec. 20, Grass Valley 

The above events welcome listeners as well as singers, but if a polished performance of the Messiah is what you crave, here are the local presentations: 

Valley Choral Society – Dec. 1, Citrus Heights

Capella Antiqua & the Valley Choral Society – Dec. 7, Sacramento

Yuba Sutter Oratorio Society – Dec. 8, Yuba City

Valley Choral Society – Dec. 8, Sacramento

Carmichael Seventh-day Adventist Church – Dec. 13, Carmichael

American Bach Soloists – Dec. 15, Davis