Easter Messiah sets tone for Easter Celebrations
May 9, 2009 by Rob Westwood-Payne
Filed under Events, News
On the Tuesday of Holy Week (7 April 2009) an audience of around 150 people gathered to listen to the Cradley Heath Messiah Chorus perform George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, Parts the Second and Third.
These excerpts from the well-loved oratorio relate to the Easter story – Christ’s servanthood, death and resurrection and the hope we have in all three.
The Chorus were joined by Hilary Crowhurst (Mezzo Soprano), Geoffrey Wootton (Tenor), David Hadley (Bass) and David Bishop-Rowe (trumpet). They were accompanied by Susan Dymond on the piano. They were conducted by our Songster Leader, Rob Westwood-Payne.
The Chorus had just twelve weeks to learn and rehearse the fourteen choruses included in the extract from Messiah, and considering a number of them were not music readers they felt a sense of achievement as they performed the music with accomplishment and aplomb. Many in the audience were appreciative of the music they heard and of the efforts which had been put in to produce the event.
The nerves which were never far away at the first performance melted away when the Chorus and soloists met again to perform the same extract a few days later at Holy Trinity Church, Old Hill. In fact, many of the chorus members enjoyed the experience so much they are already asking what they are going to do next!
Thanks must go to the many people who helped with the production of this event – from publicity, to refreshments, to stage building and beyond. Also to Holy Trinity Church for their invitation to perform in their church. To our soloists who all added to the performances with their individual contributions. Also to Susan Dymond (and her able deputy, Margaret Lawrence) for the many hours spent in rehearsal, not just with the Chorus and soloists but at home alone too. And finally, to the Chorus members, who spent many hours in rehearsal and listening to their CDs to put on such a good production of Handel’s music.
You can see photos of the event here.
And watch this space for the next event!
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Rob Westwood-Payne grew up in The Salvation Army at Norwich Citadel. He left Norwich to study at the University of Warwick and became fully involved in the music centre there culminating in his conducting Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue to a full house in Symphony Hall in Birmingham. He also transferred to The Salvation Army at Coventry City, where he became Songster Leader at the age of 21. He was made Songster Leader at Cradley Heath in April 1998 shortly before marrying Gail in the following October. He is a former leader of the West Midlands Divisional Youth Chorus and is currently Programme Director at the West Midlands Divisional Summer School for The Salvation Army. He is an Associate Solicitor in the Licensing Team of a national practice based in the south west.