By Stephanie Bunker
Moapa Valley Progress
A community choir and orchestra came together on Sunday night to share music of the Christmas season. Under the direction of Logandale resident Gaye Nelson, the group performed Handel’s Messiah at the Old Logandale School.
The evening began with the orchestra performing the Overture to the renown Handel oratorio. Then the orchestra provided accompaniment to the choral and solo vocal works which followed.
Several soloists sang selections from the work. Vicki Willard sang “Behold A Virgin Shall Conceive” and “O Thou That Tellest”. Bruce Whitney boldly performed “For, Behold, Darkness Shall Cover” and “The People That Walked In Darkness.” Catherine Ellerton gave a strong performance of the recitative movements “There Were Shepherds Abiding”, “And the Angel Said Unto Them”, and “And Suddenly There Was”.
Rachel Garcia was featured in an entrancing “Rejoice Greatly”.
Bruce Lund sang the recitative “Then Shall the Eyes” and then the aria “He Shall Feed His Flock” a performance he shared with soprano Kara Lewis.
The choir sang the complex chorus of “Worthy Is the Lamb” which has only been sung by the Community Choir one other year before.
“Worthy Is the Lamb is a harder piece and we were able to sing it better this year than last year,” Nelson commented.
Kristine Leach was the final soloist with a sweetly comforting version of “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth.”
The choir then concluded the performance with a rousing version of the Hallelujah Chorus as the audience rose in the traditional manner and enjoyed the sound reverberating through the room.
The orchestra brought the Messiah to life, it consisted of musicians with years of experience as well as excellent students from the high school and middle school.
It was a special treat to have Susan Whipple play the harpsichord as part of the production. Nelson explained that she brought the harpsichord from Texas when she returned from an LDS mission in that area. Nelson explained that the harpsichord has a very authentic sound because that was the instrument used in Handel’s day.
Nelson also highlighted one performer that has been a part of the Messiah performances for seven decades in Moapa Valley: pianist Connie Whitney.
A couple from Arizona, Cal and Connie Herron were in town for the evening and came to the Messiah performance. Connie Herron was amazed by the talent which was displayed here in this small community.
“We have gone to several different Messiah’s for 5 or 6 years and I got more out of this one,” said Cal Herron. He explained that because of the intimate setting at the Old Logandale School, he felt more a part of the performance but he didn’t have to participate.
