Concerts to feature Handel’s ‘Messiah’

The Pend Oreille Chorale and Orchestra is gearing up for its annual Christmas concerts.

This year the entire concert will consist of selections from Handel’s "Messiah". Performances will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 9 and at 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 11.

For those interested in joining the chorale or the orchestra are invited to attend rehearsals.

"This concert will also be special because the Pend Oreille Chorale and Orchestra has been presenting free public concerts for almost 30 years to the people of North Idaho," chorale director Caren Reiner said.. This year the Mormon Church on North Boyer across from the Fair Grounds will host both orchestra and chorale rehearsals.

The first rehearsal for the orchestra will be on Sunday, Sept. 25, from 2-4 p.m. Music and rehearsal schedule will be provided and reviewed. Anyone with string orchestral experience, is invited to attend. Every effort will be made to accommodate all orchestral instruments.

The first chorale rehearsal will be on Monday, Oct. 3, and every Monday evening thereafter, except Halloween, from 6-8 p.m. until the concerts. Although there are a limited number of chorale scores to be loaned to singers, it is requested that if you can afford to purchase the choral scores, please do so. They are readily available online and can be found by selecting the Kalmus vocal Messiah score No. 6211.

Thirty years ago, before the name was even adopted, Mark and Caren Reiner formed a group of musicians to perform selections from Handel’s "Messiah". Although "The Messiah" was given many times since then, a policy was made to present it only once every five years in order to allow other excellent Christmas music to be heard.

The Reiners said POCO is a dedicated group of musicians from North Idaho who donate their time and talent to perform quality classical musical twice a year for the good of the community.