Handel's Messiah: Virtual Christmas Concert
The Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus released a virtual Christmas concert featuring two choruses from Handel’s Messiah on its website at 7:30 pm on Saturday, December 12.
Conducted by Nicholas Fairbank, 24 singers and 23 orchestral players participated in the SPO’s third socially distanced concert.
The repertoire, from Part 1 of Messiah, includes two of the most popular Christmas songs:
And the Glory of the Lord
His Yoke Is Easy
“With pandemic protocols in place, audiences will miss out on attending traditional Christmas concerts,” said conductor Nicholas Fairbank. “And we musicians will miss spreading cheer through those beloved in-person performances.”
“This virtual concert is a way of music-making together under the present circumstances,” he continued. “We’re creating a performance that can reach far and wide, bringing joy to the community this holiday season.”
Each singer and player recorded their part independently, while listening to and watching a backing track conducted by Fairbank. Using video editing software, Fairbank assembled all 47 audio and video recordings to create the finished product.
Audiences watching the videos are encouraged to make a donation to the SPO. Contributions over $25 will receive a tax receipt.