Come join friends and neighbors for our annual Messiah Sing. a joyous afternoon of community music-making at the Congregational Church of Middlebury, slated for Sunday, Dec. 17, from 2-3:30 p.m. 

Singers, instrumentalists and all who enjoy music are warmly welcomed to sing or play along — or simply to come to watch and listen — as we hear soloist from the local community, and together we all sing many of the choruses from The Messiah, composed by George Frederic Handel in 1742. Jeff Rehbach leads the sing-along of this famous work for choir and orchestra, that attracts hundreds of singers and players from throughout the region and from across the state. 

Middlebury’s first Messiah Sing took place in December 1984. Nearly every year since then, on a Sunday afternoon just before Christmas, singers and orchestra players arrive at the historic Congregational Church, as the Messiah Sing has grown into a community holiday celebration.

This year’s reading continues the tradition of featuring soloists drawn from choirs in Middlebury and throughout Vermont, with Jessica Allen, Erin Grainger, Adam Hall, Joe McVeigh, Sam Trudel, Leila McVeigh, and Wendy Taylor. Solo numbers will be accompanied by a string quartet from our nearby towns and villages, including David Gusakov, Emily Sunderman, Bill Pierson, and Dieuwke Davydov. Jeff Buettner, Middlebury College’s director of choral activities, and Ronnie Romano, Middlebury Community Chorus conductor, will add harpsichord and organ accompaniment.

Chorus music and orchestra parts (for strings and oboe/flute) are provided, as we read many of the finest choruses from this beloved oratorio, including the “Hallelujah” chorus. If you have your own copy of the Messiah, please bring it along. If you plan to play in the orchestra, please bring a music stand and arrive 15 minutes early. 

The Congregational Church of Middlebury and the Middlebury Community Music Center, as well as members of the Community Chorus, help make our annual Messiah Sing possible. Donations are welcome ($10 individual / $25 family) at the door. For more information, contact [email protected] or 802-382-7493.