Messiah Sing-Along 2010
Thank you for your interest in our Free Sing-Along Messiah event. This is the Event Information page where I have attempted to answer many of the questions that have been asked about our previous fifteen Free Sing-Along Messiah’s.
The Fifteenth Annual Sing-Along Messiah will be held Friday evening, December 17th at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Please plan on arriving early. Seating is on a first come first served basis and it fills up fast.
The event is NO CHARGE. Nor is a good will offering taken. The event is totally sponsored by Twietmeyer Properties -- in thanks to the Lord for the benefits received by Twietmeyer Properties -- and as a gift to the community.
The performance will be held at Central Lutheran Church 1820 NE 21st Avenue.
The church is one block North of NE 21st and Broadway - which is approximately seven blocks east of the Lloyd Center area. We arrange for nearby additional parking for the evening.
The Sing-Along is truly a sing along. There are no soloists! During the usual performance of Messiah, over half the time is spent listening to soloists. We know from our experience that -- when we go to a Messiah concert -- WE WANT TO SING. Thus at our performance, you the audience will sing all of the Messiah Choruses, some of which are seldom sung. Most of us just sort of bumble our way through some of these choruses doing our best at sight reading -- which adds to the enjoyment of the evening. From the fourteen annual Sing-Along's to date -- this "doing all the singing ourselves" has been the most complimented part of the performance. Between the Choruses, a Lutheran minister will segue the numbers with the message usually sung by the soloists.
You do not have to sing -- or even want to sing -- to attend. Many of the audience attend just to hear this great work and to enjoy sitting in amongst the singers. There are no rehearsals, just the performance. The singers are seated in Soprano ,Alto, Tenor, or Bass sections on a first come basis. Other than this seating by sections; there are no reserved seats. You can sit any place you like -- whether in a voice section or not This includes those that come to listen only. You can come by yourself or make up your own quartet or singing group. In the past we have groups from various church choirs join us, sitting together and enjoying the fellowship of singing as a group. We expect a full church this year as last year we had a full house.
Children are encouraged to attend. The event is for the whole family. It has become a "tradition" for some families, groups, and individuals.
Previous directors have included Thomas Miller, Professor of Music Warner Pacific College, Steve Peters, Director Cleveland High School, Susan McBerry, Director of Music Ministries at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portland, Dr. John Bowman, former Chairman of the Division of Fine Arts at George Fox University, Charles Zimmerman, director of choral music at Spokane Falls Community College, Steve Ticen, Director, Lakeridge High School Choir, Dr Maria Manzo, Music Director of Bravo Chorale, Vancouver WA, Roger Doyle, University of Portland, Chairman of the Performing and Fine Arts Department; Jonathan Griffith, from Portland but who each year also directs the New York City Sing-Along; Merle Lotz, retired choral director and pianist for the Oregon Pops Symphony, Bruce Brown, Director - the Portland Symphonic Choir as well as Dean of Music, Portland State University; Will Funk, retired Director of the Central Lutheran Church Choir, Richard Wrye, Life member of the American Choral Directors Association, Michael Kissinger, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Bravo! Vancouver Concert Series, and Mia Hall Savage, Director of the Pacific Youth Choir.
We ask you to bring a Messiah score if you have access to one. We use the G. Schrimer edition. If you do not have a score we have 200 scores which are available to the singers for the evening. Or if you prefer to purchase a score it can be done at any music store such as Moe's in Southeast Portland, from which all of our scores were purchased. The performance should conclude by 10 p.m.. There will be an intermission to give our voices a break. You will need it as we will be singing constantly. Coffee will be served courtesy of Central Lutheran Church.
We look forward to seeing you at this great musical event honoring the Messiah.
If you have additional questions, please click HERE and send an email with your question.
Mark Twietmeyer