TodaySingers begin Christmas season with ‘Messiah’
Carlisle Community Chorus members mark beginning of Christmas, renewal of friendships with production of Handel’s “Messiah.”
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Dr. M. Kenneth Houser directs the choir during a rehearsal for their upcoming performance entitled “Messiah” at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7 at Allison United Methodist Church in Carlisle. (Matthew O'Haren/Special to The Sentinel)
“Messiah” might be regarded as composer George Frederic Handel’s finest work, and it is certainly the most popular, but it’s more than just a collection of notes and sheet music for a group of area singers.
To the Carlisle Community Chorus, singing Handel’s “Messiah” is like coming home.
That simple phrase was repeated over and over by the choir members as they filed into Allison United Methodist Church in Carlisle for a rehearsal last Thursday night. Singers from all over Cumberland County and from a number of different churches gathered in the church, meeting friends they hadn’t seen for a year — since the last production of “Messiah.”
This year marks the 72nd performance of “Messiah” by the community chorus since it began performing the sacred oratorio in 1936.
It is one yearly tradition that singer Jill Davis doesn’t mind following through on.
“It literally is a coming home for a lot of people. I get to see everyone who I love,” Davis said. “I’m from Newville, and while I don’t exactly need a stamp in my passport, the only time I get to see some of these people is ‘Messiah.’ It’s just something I look forward to.”
From a former co-worker and current Carlisle High School chemistry teacher to a former student who changed her vocal range from soprano to alto to sing next to her, Davis welcomes the opportunity to get back in touch with friends she’s made over her 34 years with the choir.
Big production
One of her oldest friends includes “Messiah” director Kenneth Houser, with whom she grew up and served under as one of the choir’s singers.
“Ken runs a tight ship here,” Davis said. “He can get rid of the chit chat very quickly.”
It’s no small task for Houser, who has been the director of the Carlisle Community Chorus’ production of “Messiah” for 19 years. On average, the choir is made up of 140 members. This year, the choir is only made up of 110 members due to many area high school students who performed in the Pennsylvania Youth Music and Theatrics production of “Chicago,” including last year’s “Messiah” soloist Frankie Mosley.
The choir is also considered an amateur chorus, whose members are predominantly volunteers with no required vocal training to join.
However, the result can be considered far from amateur.
“When you have the kind of talent here, five rehearsals is enough,” Davis said. “Everyone has pretty much had some type of voice work and some are trained musicians. We don’t do a lot of practice. Most of us have been in choirs or madrigals, so when Ken says to start at Bar 3, everyone’s right there.”
“It’s really amazing who we get in the chorus,” said Doug Heineman, of Carlisle. “Even the kids read relatively well (for their first year in the performance). We don’t have to teach them much. They make very few mistakes.”
That’s been consistently good news for Houser, who has to make an amateur choir hit all the notes.
“I enjoy making it an enjoyable experience for everyone and just keep in mind that it’s an amateur group,” Houser said. “We have a good time, but we put together a decent program. The music is challenging. In most cases, I’d say about 98 percent of our singers are not of the professional caliber. Fortunately, they’re all talented, and the solid individuals can carry the weaker ones, especially in such a huge choir.”
Family occasion
And the older members are only too happy to make sure the younger singers are doing well in the choir.
“My daughter was very intimidated during her first year in the choir, but one of the sopranos (Ella Morin) took her under her wing,” said Karen Matangos of her daughter Laurel Matangos, who will perform a solo in this year’s “Messiah.”
Not only does the chorus promote multi-generational interaction, the atmosphere is also fitting for Matangos and many other members who perform alongside their family.
“I get more nervous when she sings her solo, but when she’s up there I enjoy it more than anything, and probably more than I should,” Matangos said of her daughter. “In the years past, my mother and my daughter as well as my uncle have all performed. Kathy O’Donnell is singing with her two sons and her husband. One of the soloists, Julie Richwine, now has a teenage son performing with her. There are an awful lot of families coming through here, which is nice because it includes everybody.”
Seeing Mary Lou Secrist, who has sung with the choir for 48 years, perform with her daughter and watching Houser direct his son in the chorus, Matangos enjoys every year she begins rehearsal for “Messiah,” if only to include the cheer she associates with the season.
“This is the one thing that marks the start of my Christmas season,” Matangos said. “It wouldn’t be Christmas without ‘Messiah.’ It doesn’t seem right if we don’t do it.”
As always, the Carlisle Community Chorus production of “Messiah” will be on the first Sunday of December — Dec. 7 — at Allison United Methodist Church in Carlisle.
