GREENVILLE CHORAL UNION AND ORCHESTRA TO PRESENT HANDEL’S MESSIAH

Published: November 20, 2024

GREENVILLE, IL – The Greenville Choral Union and Orchestra will present its 96th performance of George Frederic Handel’s oratorio Messiah at 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 8, on the Greenville University campus. This year's Messiah is dedicated in honor of Dr. Ken Smith '53, a generous and loyal GU alum, choir, and Messiah supporter.

Don Frazure, director of choral activities at Greenville University, will direct the performance.

“We are excited to once again present the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah to the Greenville community, says Frazure. “This year, in addition to Messiah, we’ll be presenting a setting of “Gloria” from the Latin mass written by Randol Alan Bass and Craig Courtney's arrangement of “A Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas,” along with other Christmas carols.”

The Choral Union will be joined by Soprano, Alexandra Billhartz, Mezzo-Soprano, Grace Denton, and Bass, Jacob Lassetter. Accompanying the vocalists on the continuo and piano will be Rebecca Koebbe, along with a full orchestra.

This holiday favorite is a great way to kick off the holiday season. The performance will be in the Whitlock Music Center, located at the intersection of College Avenue and Elm Street. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. There is no admission charge, but a free-will offering will be taken to defray the costs of the program.

This performance of Messiah will honor the legacy of Dr. Kenneth R. Smith, Jr. ‘53 (September 23, 1932 – May 16, 2024). Ken and his wife Marjorie (Sandin) ’56 have been ardent supporters of the University and especially of the music and choral programs, including the Greenville Choral Union.

Following the performance, a reception, hosted by the Greenville University Alumni Association, will be held across Elm Street in the Alumni House.

For more information, contact the Greenville University Department of Music at 618-664-6560.

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Greenville University is an accredited Christian liberal arts university with more than 1,000 students, including traditional undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree completion students. Founded in 1892 and affiliated with the Free Methodist Church, the University is in Greenville, Ill., 45 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri. For more information, visit www.greenville.edu.