To me, it’s not Christmas until I can do a sing along to one of my favorite holiday pieces. These days it is by myself in the car or at home. One of my fondest memories was performing this in high school, many years ago in our 250 member choir and then having the opportunity a couple of years later, when I was still living in Pittsburgh to go to a Messiah “sing-in” at Heinz Hall with my aunts and grandmother (2 of them would be gone the following year).
They divided the concert hall into sections, the Symphony played the music, the huge Symphony choir led the evening and the audience sang all the chorus parts. When we got to the Hallelujah chorus section and 2,600 singers stood, their scores at their sides as this was the piece that they all knew by heart, the joy of the moment to be in that situation gave everyone chills. And then conductor made everyone applaud themselves and he shouted, “One more time”! And we did it again! So much fun!
I would love to do the Lincoln Center one but my schedule every year has not allowed me. Next year that will change. Life is too short and going so fast.
In the meantime, for those that might be a little rusty, here is the score and the music. Ok, everyone ready?
Have a blessed Christmas and a healthy, Happy New Year!
