On December 7 & 8, alumnus Matthew Dean will join acclaimed vocalists for the annual Handel’s Messiah in Rockefeller Chapel. Tickets

How long have you been involved in the annual Messiah performance in Hyde Park?  Has it changed at all over the years?

My first Messiah in Hyde Park was as a newly-arrived College student in December of 1996. My father was so energized by the performance he got his first speeding ticket in two decades driving home with the Hallelujah Chorus in his heart and feet. Later, I loved singing the work with my wife-to-be Katie (AB ’01), who could nail the fioratura in And He Shall Purify. A running joke in my circle for over 15 years has been the pantomiming of prior director Randi Von Ellefson’s committed facial and hand gestures on the word “SLAIN!” of the final chorus: the choral experience distilled in one spine-tingling moment.

In my memory, audiences, light, and atmosphere have always been great, while the exact forces and setlist comprising the performance have rotated. I do enjoy the current balance of opportunities for student and professional singers and instrumentalists James (Kallembach) and Barbara Schubert have developed, and the fact we’re back up to two performances for this wonderful community. It continues to humble and amaze me that I have had the chance to solo from the same stage as William Watson, Calland Metts, and Trevór Mitchell (among others), strong tenors I emulated as a student chorister and have had the pleasure of working alongside more recently.

For many singers, both soloists and choristers, the Holiday Season is synonymous with “Messiah Season.”  Do you have a favorite memory of the first time you sang Handel’s famous work?   Continue reading →