FSO and Oratorio Chorus present Handel’s “Messiah” Dec. 1

The Furman Symphony Orchestra (FSO) and Oratorio Chorus will present Handel’s Messiah Friday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. in McAlister Auditorium on the Furman University campus.

The Cultural Life Program concert is open to the public and is presented by the Furman Department of Music. Tickets for the Sound Quality Concert Series event are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for students/youth.

Thomas Joiner conducts “Messiah” featuring 140 student musicians.

Conducted by Furman music professor Thomas Joiner, Handel’s Messiah holds a unique position as a monument of Western civilization. 1742 marked the debut of Messiah in Dublin, Ireland. The oratorio later gained in popularity particularly in England and America, eventually becoming one of the best known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music.

A biennial tradition on the campus of Furman University, the performance of Messiah features 140 student vocalists and musicians. The masterwork showcases outstanding student soloists selected through competitive audition. The FSO and Oratorio Chorus will present Parts I and II of Messiah in their entirety, culminating in the mighty “Hallelujah” chorus.

Soloists for the performance are:

Leyly N. Bagherof, mezzo-soprano, Greenville, S.C.
Robert M. Bayliss, bass-baritone, Greenville, S.C.
Kirby Willis Burgess, soprano, Marietta, Ga.
Tyrese De’quan Byrd, tenor, Williamston, S.C.
David Logan Campbell, bass, Easley, S.C.
Matthew E. Christopher, baritone, Longwood, Fla.
Grace Clare Honohan, mezzo-soprano, New York, N.Y.
Mary Allison Hoover, soprano, Greenville, S.C.
Todd Jared “TJ” Turner, tenor, Boiling Springs, S.C.
Annabelle Violet Martin, soprano, Greenville, S.C.
Margaret Quentin Prewitt, soprano, Lexington, Ky.
Bergsvein W. Toverud, tenor, Lenoir, N.C.

For more information or advance ticket sales, call the Furman Music Office at 864-294-2086, or email the department at FurmanMusic@furman.edu. Tickets may be ordered online at www.furman.edu/MusicTickets.