Shared from the 11/30/2017 American Press eEdition

Hallelujah!

LC Messiah Chorus to present annual show Sunday

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Guest artist Noah Lanier, top left, a bass/baritone from Sulphur, will join these six McNeese student soloists when the Lake Charles Messiah Chorus presents its annual performance of “Messiah” at 3 p.m. Sunday in the F.G. Bulber Auditorium at McNeese State University.

The Lake Charles Messiah Chorus will kick off the Christmas season with its annual performance of “Messiah” at 3 p.m. Sunday in the F.G. Bulber Auditorium at McNeese State University.

The performance of Handel’s “Messiah” has been a long-standing tradition in the Lake Area, said chorus member Michael Taylor.

He said the performance has been held on the first Sunday of every December for the last 77 years, except 2011. The chorus was founded during the 1939-1940 school year by McNeese professor Francis G. Bulber, who combined church choirs with university students to perform the work.

The chorus will perform in the auditorium that bears his name and will be conducted by Bulber’s daughter, Colette Bulber Tanner.

“It’s not the Christmas season until I sing the ‘Messiah,’ ” said Taylor, who has performed in the chorus for 44 years.

Taylor said the program tells the story of the life of Jesus from just before his birth until his death.

“This year’s chorus is made up of almost 100 voices that fill the multiple voice ranges of soprano, alto, tenor and bass with beautiful harmony,” said Darlene Hoffpauir, a chorus board member.

The performance will feature soloists from the McNeese choir, as well as an orchestra and local musicians.

This year six McNeese students will be featured as soloists: Layton Bergstedt, Lindsey Bower, Tyler Brumback, Emmie Lancon, Amy Phillips and Ashley Traughber. Also set to perform is guest artist Noah Lanier, a bass/baritone from Sulphur.

The performance comprises seven to 10 selections from Handel’s “Messiah Oratorio” and will feature soloists and music faculty from McNeese, as well as volunteers and Bulber’s wife, Hoffpauir said.

“I felt that musically this was an important piece of work, and spiritually it was special because of its tie to the true meaning of Christmas,” she said.

“This moving work has transcended both time and culture to speak to the very essence of why Christmas even exists — to celebrate the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ. If you only attend one holiday event this season, let it be ‘Messiah.’ ”

Admission is free.

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