The majesty of the human voice was powerfully evident Sunday afternoon, March 23, 2014, as Kathy Janicek took 26 of her 30 vocalists through their paces. Janicek is Choir Director at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Morrison, IL. Sixteen female and ten male voices filled the lofty sanctuary of St. Peter Lutheran Church, 601 N. Jackson Street, Morrison, as they have since practices began Sunday, January 12.
The Morrison Ecumenical Chorus will present the Lent and Easter portions of G. F. Handel’s “Messiah” on Sunday, April 6, the week before Palm Sunday, at St. Peter Lutheran Church. These “Messiah” concerts, which include the stirring “Hallelujah Chorus,'” have been sponsored by the Morrison Ministers Council since 1956.
A free-will offering will be taken to cover expenses, with any excess proceeds used to fund other Morrison Ministers Council projects.
The chorus includes singers from Morrison, Albany, Chadwick, East Moline, Erie, Mt. Carroll, and Sterling, IL, and Clinton, IA.
The entire community is invited to attend this concert which has become a significant part of Lenten and Easter observations for both singers and audiences.
German composer George Frideric Handel lived from February 23, 1685, until April 14, 1759. His “Messiah” was originally an Easter offering. It continues thus today. It was first performed in Morrison in 1956, under the direction of Louise Mathew. Since then, these concerts have become a strong part of the City’s musical and religious traditions.
Christine Holmer, Clinton, IA, accompanies the members. She is shown at the piano with soloists, left-to-right, Morrison tenor Luke Vander Bleek; Mt. Carroll mezzo-soprano Laurie Wilkens; Morrison tenor Eric Phend; Morrison soprano Connie Swanson-DeSpain. Two others, East Moline bass Saul Nache and Clinton, IA, trumpeter Ben Logan, were absent from this practice.
