Life

Capacity crowd turns out for Messiah Sing

Singers and musicians performed in the annual Messiah Sing on Sunday, Nov. 25.

By Bill Moss, Published: November 26, 2012

More than 100 voices and some 32 musicians gathered at 2 p.m. Sunday, got one hour of instructions on the singing and playing. One hour later, at 3 p.m., the first note was struck and the Messiah Sing was on.

The eighth annual community performance of the Christmas favorite that tells the story of Christ's birth, sponsored by Henderson County Churches Uniting, drew a full house to Trinity Presbyterian Church, listeners and singers and musicians.
The singers, divided into men's and women's sections, were accompanied by organ, piano, strings, bassoon, clarinet, flute, oboe, piccolo and contrabass. The performance was conducted by Robert Hudson, director of the Hendersonville Community Orchestra.
"We met at 2 p.m. for directions and instructions," he said. "We didn't rehearse. That's part of the fun of it. We just start and hope we don't fall apart."
Judy Meinzer, an alto soloist, sang "O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion." Soprano Carolyn Grimes Sherwood performed a solo of "He Shall Feed His Flock and Come Unto Him." And bass baritone Bryant Belin performed "The Trumpet Shall Sound."
The performers brought the piece in, as promised, within one hour. The audience stood for the Hallelujah chorus and applauded the efforts of the volunteer choir and musicians when it ended.