The Mercyhurst Concert choir will be putting on two separate concerts of Handel’s Messiah next week.

Both concerts will feature hand-selected soloists along with the full glory of the choir to tell the story of the Messiah.

When many musicians think of decking the halls and good tidings, G.F. Handel’s Messiah comes to mind. The choir will be performing the first section of the oratorio, ending with the well-known “Hallelujah Chorus.”

The concert will follow the story though emotional solo pieces ending in the popular choruses that are one of the reasons the piece is so well known today.

Conducted by Director of Choirs Rebecca Ryan, the concert will feature full orchestra accompaniment and will be perfect for getting into the holiday spirit and reminding us why it is that we celebrate this time of year.

The concert held at the North East campus will also include a surprise for the audience. Before the performance of the Messiah, the concert choir will sing “Ave Maria” in Russian by Sergei Rachmaninov.

Free and open to the public, the performances will take place in two separate venues. The first will be in the Performing Arts Center on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 4 p.m. The concert in the Chapel at Mercyhurst North East’s campus will be performed on Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m.

Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to hear this timeless piece performed live with full choir and orchestra.