Announcing the 2008

Abendmusik

Program at Fairfax Presbyterian Church

The FPC Sanctuary Choir will present selected choruses from Parts II and III of Handel's Messiah in the annual Abendmusik music program on Sunday, April 20, at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

Acting Director of Music Dr. Kenneth Martin will conduct the chorus and orchestra, with support on the organ from Acting Organist Dr. Donna Whited.

The program will include the following choruses from the parts of Messiah that we usually do not hear at Christmas time:

Behold the Lamb of God
Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
And with His Stripes We Are Healed
All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray
Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates
The Lord Gave the Word
Hallelujah
Since by Man Came Death
Worthy Is the Lamb (with Amen)

Singers from the congregation or the community who would like to participate in this program may do so in either of two ways:

One is to come Thursday evenings to our regular Sanctuary Choir rehearsals. We will be working on Messiah from 7:30 until 8:15 each evening beginning February 14. You do not have to stay for the remainder of the rehearsal (until 9:30), though you would certainly be welcome as we prepare music for our weekly Sunday worship.

The other is to come to both of our Saturday morning rehearsals, which will be Saturday, April 5, from 9:30 to 12:30 and Saturday, April 19, from 9:00 to 12:00 (this will be a final rehearsal, with orchestra).

We are using the Novello edition of Messiah edited by Watkins Shaw. We have plenty of copies for guest singers, but you are welcome to bring your own if you have one already. This program will be choruses only -- no solos.