‘Messiah’ Coming to TAMIU Sunday

It's the holiday season and what could be more appropriate than an afternoon listening to one of the most renowned pieces of English sacred music, Handel's "Messiah," performed by the Texas A&M International University Philharmonic Chorale Sunday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. in TAMIU's Center for the Fine and Performing Arts (CFPA) Recital Hall.

This event is free and open to the public.

“‘Messiah’ is perhaps one of the most recognized music works of all time and it is completely quite traditional to have performances of this great piece around the holidays,” said Brendan Townsend, Chorale director.

This year, the Laredo Philharmonic Chorale joined forces with the TAMIU Chorale in a landmark agreement that took the LPC to a new home at TAMIU. Sharing the stage with these combined forces are members of the Vidal M. Treviño School of Communications and Fine Arts Choir and Coro Espíritu Santo from Nuevo Laredo. The Combined College Orchestras of Laredo Community College and Texas A&M International University and area schools will provide the accompaniment.

“All of the best known highlights will be performed, such as the arias ‘Rejoice greatly,’ ‘The trumpet shall sound,’ ‘He was despised,’ and the popular choral sections ‘For unto us a child is born,’ and ‘Hallelujah,’ naturally. But in addition, we are adding the gorgeous choral sections from the ‘Crucifixion’ part-‘Surely He hath borne our griefs,’ ‘And with His stripes’ ‘All we like sheep,’ and ‘He trusted in God,’ added Townsend.

He explained that the text of this oratorio, which is too long to perform in its entirety, is a masterpiece of dramatic construction. Thus, in order to maintain the integrity of the text, a narrator will be used to read the portions of recitatives and arias being omitted. Further dramatic content is being highlighted by the addition of visual imagery including some of the greatest works of art associated with the Messiah.

“‘Messiah’ should not be looked on as not just a piece of music, but a true drama in which we, the performers, play various roles, from celebrating with the shepherds to standing with the crowd screaming for Christ's execution and at the end coming to the realization that the moral of the story will bring us all to glorification,” Townsend said.

From the opening somber chords in the strings to the glorious “Hallelujah” and “Amen” the music of G.F. Handel transports listeners to greater insight into the life of Christ and the soloists and chorus take on dramatic roles depicting the shepherds at Christ's birth or sneering crowd at the crucifixion.

Joining the choirs and orchestra are soloists Melody Rich (San Antonio), Cindy Sadler (Austin), Eric Schmidt (San Antonio) and Dr. Joseph Crabtree (Laredo).

The performance will be repeated at the Centro Cultural in Nuevo Laredo on Monday Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, please contact Brendan Townsend at 956.326.3039, e-mail btownsend@tamiu.edu or visit offices in CFPA, room 216C.

For an online TAMIU fine and performing arts calendar, visit www.tamiu.edu/coas/fpa/coe.shtml

The University will close for the holidays at noon on Friday, Dec. 22. 

Offices will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007.

Despite office closures, registration for the Spring Semester 2007 continues 24/7at UOnline, located at schedule.tamiu.edu

Spring 2007 classes begin Tuesday, Jan. 16.

University office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu