Drew University to Perform Handel's Messiah For the First Time on Dec. 6

For the first time in Drew University history, students, staff and guest musicians will perform Handel’s Messiah, the oratorio known for its magnificent “Hallelujah Chorus,” on Dec. 6 at the Concert Hall in the Dorothy Young Center for the Arts at Drew University.

The Drew Chorale and Choral Union, a 70-person combined choir made up of students, faculty, staff, and community members, will perform the holiday masterpiece at 8 p.m. on December 6. Jason Bishop, a Drew music professor, will direct the ensemble. The orchestra will feature students and guest instrumentalists.

The soloists include Aliya Weinstein and Catherine Doyle, both Drew students; Elise Figa, a soprano and adjunct assistant professor of music; Ignacio Angulo-Pizarro, a tenor who has performed regionally; and Charles Davidson, a bass, who is a veteran performer of several opera companies and orchestras.

This is the first time a Drew ensemble has performed Part 1 of the Messiah in the Concert Hall, which ends with the famous “Hallelujah Chorus.” The event is open to the public and costs $5 to attend. Students will be admitted for free.

“Handel’s Messiah is one of the most durable, recognizable symbols of the holiday season. It has enjoyed a 273-year uninterrupted performance history,” said Bishop. “We are thrilled to be making history ourselves, by giving the very first performance of Handel’s Messiah by Drew University choral ensembles in the 10-year history of our Concert Hall.”

In addition to Messiah, the concert will feature additional holiday songs reflecting many styles and traditions, Bishop said.

The winter holiday concert featuring Messiah, is just one of the many performances open to the public put on by the Drew University Department of Music at the Concert Hall on the Drew campus. For more information click here.

About Drew University’s Department of Music

The Drew University Department of Music nurtures and supports the development of a well-rounded and integrated understanding of music through a balanced curriculum providing experiences in historical study and research, solo and ensemble performance, theoretical and style analysis, and original composition work.

The foundation of the department’s curriculum is built upon the classical Western European tradition with extensions provided into music styles of the world, jazz, popular, and new music practices.

The study of music at Drew extends a student’s comprehension of history and society while also preparing him or her for a career in music. The expression of ideas and emotions through music is integral to every culture.

The broadly educated musician is in demand in the recording industry, education, theater, film, television, and radio. Faculty members work closely with students to create a curriculum integrating the study of music history, composition/theory, and performance.

About Drew University

Drew University is a private, liberal arts university located in Madison, New Jersey, in the New York City metro area. Ranked among the top liberal arts institutions nationwide by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, and Washington Monthly, Drew is also listed in Princeton Review’s Best 379 Colleges.

The Drew promise—We Deliver Full-Impact Learning to the World—emphasizes the university’s commitment to borderless education that enables a student’s greatest success in a globally connected world.

Drew has a total student enrollment of more than 2,000 in three schools: the College of Liberal Arts, the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, and the Drew Theological School. The undergraduate program offers degrees in 30 different disciplines, while Caspersen and the Theological School offer degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels.