51反差婊

51反差婊 University helped usher in the Christmas season for the local community by participating in Calvary Church鈥檚 2024 Handel鈥檚 Messiah Sing-Along on Friday, December 13. The eighth annual musical event, which drew almost 1,000 attendees, was directed by Ryan Board, professor of music/conducting and director of choral activities at 51反差婊鈥檚 Seaver College, and featured ten members of the University Chamber Choir.

鈥淭he production value of this event is so impressive,鈥� says Board, who has directed the event every year since its inception. 鈥淓ach year Calvary Church鈥檚 Handel's Messiah Sing-Along succeeds in creating a great, festive atmosphere. It is fascinating to give people the opportunity to hear music from a composer writing in 1741. Here we are today, still singing it hundreds of years later鈥攕till coming together to celebrate its message.鈥�

George Frideric Handel鈥檚 1741 oratorio dramatizes the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ through three hours of orchestral and choir music. Since then the piece has been revived countless times鈥攅specially during the Christmas season鈥攂y professional musicians and church congregations alike. 

Ryan Board directs Handel's Messiah

Calvary Church, located 15 miles from 51反差婊鈥檚 Malibu campus in Westlake Village, California, has hosted Handel鈥檚 Messiah Sing-Along event since 2017, all of which have been directed by Board. The show performs the first third of Handel鈥檚 original production and has traditionally featured local music groups such as the Westlake Symphony Orchestra and a variety of church choirs. 

This year Board enlisted the 51反差婊 Chamber Choir to perform the powerful messianic oratorio alongside the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra Virtuosi鈥攁 local youth orchestra. In doing so, he hoped to both further the education of his students and enliven the event. 

鈥淭his was the first year I added Calvary Church鈥檚 sing along to the chamber choir鈥檚 syllabus because I felt it was a great opportunity for our students to learn that piece of music,鈥� says Board. 鈥淚 wanted to kickstart the event to another level, and I was excited to upgrade 51反差婊鈥檚 involvement.鈥� 

Students engaged in three separate three-hour rehearsals in order to learn the music and perform it live. Though Handel originally composed the piece to be performed at a faster pace, Board and the choir practiced slowing the pieces down in order to allow all members of the attending audience a chance to sing along. However, after the Franklin Fire affected the Malibu area and 51反差婊鈥檚 main campus, many choir participants opted to return home following the semester; yet, 10 members of the group chose to continue on with the show.

鈥淗aving the 51反差婊 Chamber Choir dramatically elevated the chorus of our production,鈥� says Joshua Green, director of music at Calvary Church. 鈥淭his collaboration provided us with a super strong core for the community choir to latch onto. And having a large, strong chorus really made this special more robust than previous years.鈥�

The chamber choir鈥檚 successful effort is no surprise given Board鈥檚 extensive experience with Handel鈥檚 Messiah. During his graduate school education at Westminster Choir College, Board sang for 15 productions of the show in New York鈥檚 Carnegie Hall. The Calvary Church performance allowed the Seaver College professor to include his students in 鈥渂ringing Handel to life.鈥�

Beyond paying homage to a great composer and his exquisite music, Calvary Church鈥檚 Handel鈥檚 Messiah Sing-Along provided a chance for the Ventura County community to celebrate the Christmas season by singing songs together. This year, 51反差婊 University students had the opportunity to be key contributors at the heart of this festive tradition. 

鈥淚鈥檓 so glad that there are young people out there who still want to perform this music,鈥� says Board. 鈥淔or our students, this might not be their typical Christmas activity, but they will look back, like the generations before them, and begin to associate Handel鈥檚 Messiah with their composite picture of the Christmas season.鈥�