About Messiah

Handel composed Messiah in London in 1741. Within six days part one was complete. In nine days more he had finished part two, and in another six, part three. The orchestration was completed in another two days. In all, 260 pages of manuscript were filled in the remarkably short time of 24 days.

Handel didn’t leave his house during those three weeks, and rarely stopped to eat. A friend who visited him as he composed found him sobbing with intense emotions. Later, as Handel groped for words to describe what he had experienced, he quoted Paul, saying “Whether I was in the body or out of my body when I wrote it I know not”.

Messiah premiered on April 13, 1742 as a charitable benefit, raising 400 pounds (British Sterling) and freeing 142 men from debtor’s prison. A year later, Handel staged it in London, a performance attended by the King of England. As the first notes of the triumphant Hallelujah Chorus rang out, the King rose. Following the royal protocol, the entire audience stood too, initiating a tradition that has lasted more than two and a half centuries.

Handel personally conducted more than thirty performances of Messiah, many of which were benefits for charity. The thousands of pounds that Handel’s performances of Messiah raised led one biographer to note: “Messiah fed the hungry, clothed the naked, fostered the orphan...more than any other single musical production in this or any country.” Another wrote: “Perhaps the works of no other composer have so largely contributed to the relief of human suffering.”

Valley Choral Society was formed in the Spring of 2000. Its mission is to bring God’s light to the community, performing music composed with the intent to elevate the human soul, and welcomes musicians of all religious faiths. VCS performs several concerts each year. The fall concert series traditionally features Handel’s Messiah and selected Christmas carols.

The Valley Choral Society is an artistic partner with Galena Street East, an organization dedicated to serving the community through entertainment presented by professionally trained young performers and to provide uplifting programs that educate and inspire.

Production Credits

ProducerJon Kennedy

Assistant ProducerJim Swihart

Orchestra ManagerDana Tidwell

Choir LibrarianDavid Carter

Section LeadersN. Cameron Doyel

Jon KennedyJamie Magda

Ellen Sedgwick

Sound & RecordingGrant Parker

Graphic DesignPaul Graham

ProgramsCynthia Cates

Program PrintingLA Printing

Special Thanks to:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Elk Grove California Stake

The Valley Choral Society Orchestra

ViolinBenjamin BlankenbehlerEllen BrunelloRuth Ann DeCantDorothy KlishevichLorraine CrozierKim LasvioCatrina Martin*Alex RobulCaralee SeamonsShauna ThomsonChad WilliamsJoy Wait

Viola:Jeron ChamberlainMarleen Covington

Cello:Sherrie ChretienCaleb LindnerJoey LombardiMenny Souther

Bass:Wendy Webster

FluteJeannie BrownSheryl Frye

OboeCurtis Kidwell

Clarinet:Doug HoffmanAndy HuntLonna Johnson

Bassoon Karen HungPaul Smith

HornEvan ChamberlainEllen Holmgren

TrumpetBob HolmgrenJanice Smith

TromboneJames Olpin

PercussionSteven Kaiser

HarpKatheryn White

KeyboardCynthia Cates

+Concertmaster

Cynthia Cates, balances duties with Valley Choral Society as both President and Accompanist. She began playing piano at the age of seven in her hometown of Aberdeen, Washington, and attended Northwestern University to study

piano performance. She is also a violinist and plays both piano and violin with the Folsom Symphony. In recent years she has served as music director for productions including The Sound of Music, Hello Dolly, Oklahoma!, Annie, 42nd Street, Swing, Seussical the Musical and Sweeny Todd. She began her association with Valley Choral Society as a violinist for the choir’s annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, and has accompanied the group since the Spring of 2001.

Paul Allen, Conductor & Artistic Director, has a rich musical background. He has served as associate conductor of the Ft. Lauderdale Philharmonic and musical director for the Ft. Lauderdale Philharmonic Chorus in Florida; organist and choirmaster at the First Methodist Church in Miami, and director of the South Florida Mormon Chorale. In Sacramento he has served as the Director of Music at Trinity and St. Mark’s Methodist Churches. He holds a degree in Music and Choral Conducting from Cambridge

University and is an accomplished tenor. He has worked as the Musical Director for dozens of theatrical productions, including Les Miserables, The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Best, Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, and The Pirates of Penzance. Locally, his music directing credits include productions for Music Circus and Sacramento State University.

Kathy Visher, Associate Artistic Director, graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music education and vocal performance. She was a regional finalist in both the Metropolitan Opera and San Francisco Opera auditions. She has soloed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, of which she is a former member, and with the Utah Symphony and the Folsom Symphony. Her performing credits include soprano roles in The Marriage of Figaro, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Die Fledermaus, The Old Maid and the Thief, Gianni Schicchi, Albert Herring, Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Brahms’ German Requiem, Britten’s War Requiem, and The Sound of Music. She has taught music at the elementary, secondary, and university levels, and has conducted many church choirs. She is a private music instructor and director of the Folsom Lake Youth Choir.

James Gentry, Baritone, is well-known in Northern California, having performed leading roles in such operas as Madam Butterfly, Merry Widow, Cavalleria Rusticana, I Pagliacci, Der Freischutz, Die Fledermaus, Tosca and La Boheme. He has appeared as baritone soloist with major symphony orchestras in Northern California and is accustomed to performing oratorios and cantatas, as well as many recitals.

Darron Flagg, Tenor, is honored to perform with Valley Choral Society and other organizations including San Francisco Opera, Livermore Valley Opera, Festival Opera, Pocket Opera, Verismo Opera, West End Opera. He has performed at LA Philharmonic’s Walt Disney Hall and sung the title role in Rossini’s Le Comte D’Ory. Favorite roles include Taminio in Die Zauberflöte, Alfredo in La Traviata, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. He has sung oratorio, recital works, along with his opera activities, in the United States, Israel, Germany and Russia. Recently he appeared in the west coast premiere of the Knable brothers’ contemporary children opera The Magic Fish at the Mondavi Center. Visit him at www.dflagg.com.

Cherie Crosby Shoemaker, Soprano, has sung opera, oratorio, recital works and musical theatre throughout the western United States. Her roles include Mimi in La Boheme, the title role of Suor Angelica, Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Almirena in Handel’s Rinaldo, Troubador in The Bishop’s Horse, Laeticia in The Old Maid and the Thief, Frasquita in Carmen, and Maria in West Side Story. The daughter of composer Rosalind

M. Luke Crosby, Cherie majored in music at Brigham Young University and earned a Master’s degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Annually featured with the Valley Choral Society, she has also appeared with many local musical organizations, including the Camellia Symphony, Sacramento Youth Symphony and Camerata.

Lori AckermanLeeAnn AtonBev BairRon BairSamuel BairLoretta BakerDiane BoulCurt CallawayErin CallawayDavid CarterRose CasettaRebecca CelayaEric ChaffeyNicole CommonsBonnie CoopEileen DeGruccioN. Cameron DoyelKaren FarnbachLaMar Fullmer

Valerie GettysGeorge GettysBob GriffinVicki JohnsonKrista JohnsonJerry JohnsonJon C. KennedyLindsey KerryKristen KroesTami LarsonRebecca LeeJamie MagdaKathy MarshallAubrey McCainSusan McClintockMarilyn McGrawDan MealeyJanell MeinzerSusan Merrill

Maurine NuttallLaura OlsonRuth OlpinJohn ParryAndrea RasmussenAmy SchepcoffJohn SchepcoffSue SchnecklothEllen SedgwickDouglas SimmonsNeil SmythJim Swihart IIIDana TidwellEileen TracyKathy VisherAdreana Ward

Carla Rae Cook, Mezzo-Soprano, has performed leading Wagner roles internationally: Waltraute in Die Walkuere and Goetterdaemmerung with the Metropolitan Opera, Venus in Tannhauser with the Bremen Opera and Seattle Opera; Kundry in Parsifal with the Chicago Lyric Opera and over 300 performances of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen as Fricka, Waltraute, Zweite Norn, Rossweisse, Woglinda, and Siegrune. Miss Cook has performed extensively with the San Francisco Opera, Washington Opera, Seattle Opera and Baltimore Opera. Miss Cook received her Bachelors of Music Ed from University of Utah, Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from Boston University, and post Doctorate at Manhattan School of Music. She is currently Head of the Opera Program at the Atlantic Music Festival and upcoming Salt Lake International Vocal Academy. She has taught Voice at George Mason University, Brigham Young University, San Jose State University and Utah State University.

- Intermission -

by George Frideric HandelThe Carols of Christmas

Sinfony

Accompagnato (Tenor) Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God (Isaiah 40:1-3).

Air (Tenor) Every valley shall be exalted (Isaiah 40:4).

CHORUS And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed (Isaiah 40:5).

Accompagnato (Bass) Thus saith the Lord of Hosts (Haggai 2:6,7); The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple (Malachi 3:1).

Air (Bass) But who may abide the day of His coming? (Malachi 3:2).

CHORUS And He shall purify (Malachi, 3:3).

Recitative (Alto) Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name EMMANUEL (Isaiah 7:14 / Matthew 1:23).

Air (Alto & Chorus) O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (Isaiah 40:9). Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee

(Isaiah 60:1).

Air (Bass) The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light (Isaiah 9:2).

CHORUS For unto us a Child is born! (Isaiah 9:6)

Pastoral Symphony.

Recitative (Soprano) There were shepherds abiding in the field (Luke 2:8).

Recitative (Soprano) And the Angel said unto them Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy (Luke 2:10,11).

Accompagnato (Soprano) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying...(Luke 2:13).

CHORUS Glory to God! (Luke 2:14).

Air (Soprano) Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion (Zachariah 9 /Matthew 21:5).

Recitative (Alto) Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened (Isaiah 35:5,6).

Air (Alto/Soprano) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd...(Isaiah 40:11).

CHORUS His yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11:30).

HALLELUJAH CHORUS Hallelujah! He shall reign for ever and ever. KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 11:15, 19:16).

Messiah

O Come, All Ye FaithfulArr. LeRoy Robertson

The Hands that First Held Mary’s ChildThomas Troeger/Dan Forrest

I Heard the Bells on Christmas DayWords by H.W. Longfellow / Music by JB Calkin & J. Marks

Arr: Nathan HofheinsSoloist: N. Cameron Doyel

Heavenly StarPepper Choplin

Gesu BambinoFrederick Martens, Pietro Yon

Arr: Mark Hayes Soloists: Carla Rae Cook, Kathy Visher

A Highland Carol Words by Charles Wesley, Christopher Wordsworth

Music by Michael W. Smith Arr: Tom Fettke and Thomas Grassi

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!Charles Wesley, Felix Mendelssohn

Arr: Mack Wilberg

Joy to the WorldIsaac Watts, Lowell Mason

Arr: Mack Wilberg

O Holy NightCappeau de Roquemaure & Adolphe Adam

Arr. John RutterSoloists: Cherie Crosby Shoemaker, Darron Flagg

Angels We Have Heard on HighFrench Carol

Arr. Mack WilbergSoloists: Carla Rae Cook, Tami Larson, Cherie Crosby Shoemaker, Kathy Visher

- Intermission -

by George Frideric HandelThe Carols of Christmas

Sinfony

Accompagnato (Tenor) Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God (Isaiah 40:1-3).

Air (Tenor) Every valley shall be exalted (Isaiah 40:4).

CHORUS And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed (Isaiah 40:5).

Accompagnato (Bass) Thus saith the Lord of Hosts (Haggai 2:6,7); The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple (Malachi 3:1).

Air (Bass) But who may abide the day of His coming? (Malachi 3:2).

CHORUS And He shall purify (Malachi, 3:3).

Recitative (Alto) Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name EMMANUEL (Isaiah 7:14 / Matthew 1:23).

Air (Alto & Chorus) O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (Isaiah 40:9). Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee

(Isaiah 60:1).

Air (Bass) The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light (Isaiah 9:2).

CHORUS For unto us a Child is born! (Isaiah 9:6)

Pastoral Symphony.

Recitative (Soprano) There were shepherds abiding in the field (Luke 2:8).

Recitative (Soprano) And the Angel said unto them Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy (Luke 2:10,11).

Accompagnato (Soprano) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying...(Luke 2:13).

CHORUS Glory to God! (Luke 2:14).

Air (Soprano) Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion (Zachariah 9 /Matthew 21:5).

Recitative (Alto) Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened (Isaiah 35:5,6).

Air (Alto/Soprano) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd...(Isaiah 40:11).

CHORUS His yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11:30).

HALLELUJAH CHORUS Hallelujah! He shall reign for ever and ever. KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 11:15, 19:16).

MessiahO Come, All Ye Faithful

Arr. LeRoy Robertson

The Hands that First Held Mary’s ChildThomas Troeger/Dan Forrest

I Heard the Bells on Christmas DayWords by H.W. Longfellow / Music by JB Calkin & J. Marks

Arr: Nathan HofheinsSoloist: N. Cameron Doyel

Heavenly StarPepper Choplin

Gesu BambinoFrederick Martens, Pietro Yon

Arr: Mark Hayes Soloists: Carla Rae Cook, Kathy Visher

A Highland Carol Words by Charles Wesley, Christopher Wordsworth

Music by Michael W. Smith Arr: Tom Fettke and Thomas Grassi

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!Charles Wesley, Felix Mendelssohn

Arr: Mack Wilberg

Joy to the WorldIsaac Watts, Lowell Mason

Arr: Mack Wilberg

O Holy NightCappeau de Roquemaure & Adolphe Adam

Arr. John RutterSoloists: Cherie Crosby Shoemaker, Darron Flagg

Angels We Have Heard on HighFrench Carol

Arr. Mack WilbergSoloists: Carla Rae Cook, Tami Larson, Cherie Crosby Shoemaker, Kathy Visher

James Gentry, Baritone, is well-known in Northern California, having performed leading roles in such operas as Madam Butterfly, Merry Widow, Cavalleria Rusticana, I Pagliacci, Der Freischutz, Die Fledermaus, Tosca and La Boheme. He has appeared as baritone soloist with major symphony orchestras in Northern California and is accustomed to performing oratorios and cantatas, as well as many recitals.

Darron Flagg, Tenor, is honored to perform with Valley Choral Society and other organizations including San Francisco Opera, Livermore Valley Opera, Festival Opera, Pocket Opera, Verismo Opera, West End Opera. He has performed at LA Philharmonic’s Walt Disney Hall and sung the title role in Rossini’s Le Comte D’Ory. Favorite roles include Taminio in Die Zauberflöte, Alfredo in La Traviata, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. He has sung oratorio, recital works, along with his opera activities, in the United States, Israel, Germany and Russia. Recently he appeared in the west coast premiere of the Knable brothers’ contemporary children opera The Magic Fish at the Mondavi Center. Visit him at www.dflagg.com.

Cherie Crosby Shoemaker, Soprano, has sung opera, oratorio, recital works and musical theatre throughout the western United States. Her roles include Mimi in La Boheme, the title role of Suor Angelica, Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Almirena in Handel’s Rinaldo, Troubador in The Bishop’s Horse, Laeticia in The Old Maid and the Thief, Frasquita in Carmen, and Maria in West Side Story. The daughter of composer Rosalind

M. Luke Crosby, Cherie majored in music at Brigham Young University and earned a Master’s degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Annually featured with the Valley Choral Society, she has also appeared with many local musical organizations, including the Camellia Symphony, Sacramento Youth Symphony and Camerata.

Lori AckermanLeeAnn AtonBev BairRon BairSamuel BairLoretta BakerDiane BoulCurt CallawayErin CallawayDavid CarterRose CasettaRebecca CelayaEric ChaffeyNicole CommonsBonnie CoopEileen DeGruccioN. Cameron DoyelKaren FarnbachLaMar Fullmer

Valerie GettysGeorge GettysBob GriffinVicki JohnsonKrista JohnsonJerry JohnsonJon C. KennedyLindsey KerryKristen KroesTami LarsonRebecca LeeJamie MagdaKathy MarshallAubrey McCainSusan McClintockMarilyn McGrawDan MealeyJanell MeinzerSusan Merrill

Maurine NuttallLaura OlsonRuth OlpinJohn ParryAndrea RasmussenAmy SchepcoffJohn SchepcoffSue SchnecklothEllen SedgwickDouglas SimmonsNeil SmythJim Swihart IIIDana TidwellEileen TracyKathy VisherAdreana Ward

Carla Rae Cook, Mezzo-Soprano, has performed leading Wagner roles internationally: Waltraute in Die Walkuere and Goetterdaemmerung with the Metropolitan Opera, Venus in Tannhauser with the Bremen Opera and Seattle Opera; Kundry in Parsifal with the Chicago Lyric Opera and over 300 performances of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen as Fricka, Waltraute, Zweite Norn, Rossweisse, Woglinda, and Siegrune. Miss Cook has performed extensively with the San Francisco Opera, Washington Opera, Seattle Opera and Baltimore Opera. Miss Cook received her Bachelors of Music Ed from University of Utah, Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from Boston University, and post Doctorate at Manhattan School of Music. She is currently Head of the Opera Program at the Atlantic Music Festival and upcoming Salt Lake International Vocal Academy. She has taught Voice at George Mason University, Brigham Young University, San Jose State University and Utah State University.

Production Credits

ProducerJon Kennedy

Assistant ProducerJim Swihart

Orchestra ManagerDana Tidwell

Choir LibrarianDavid Carter

Section LeadersN. Cameron Doyel

Jon KennedyJamie Magda

Ellen Sedgwick

Sound & RecordingGrant Parker

Graphic DesignPaul Graham

ProgramsCynthia Cates

Program PrintingLA Printing

Special Thanks to:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Elk Grove California Stake

The Valley Choral Society Orchestra

ViolinBenjamin BlankenbehlerEllen BrunelloRuth Ann DeCantDorothy KlishevichLorraine CrozierKim LasvioCatrina Martin*Alex RobulCaralee SeamonsShauna ThomsonChad WilliamsJoy Wait

Viola:Jeron ChamberlainMarleen Covington

Cello:Sherrie ChretienCaleb LindnerJoey LombardiMenny Souther

Bass:Wendy Webster

FluteJeannie BrownSheryl Frye

OboeCurtis Kidwell

Clarinet:Doug HoffmanAndy HuntLonna Johnson

Bassoon Karen HungPaul Smith

HornEvan ChamberlainEllen Holmgren

TrumpetBob HolmgrenJanice Smith

TromboneJames Olpin

PercussionSteven Kaiser

HarpKatheryn White

KeyboardCynthia Cates

+Concertmaster

Cynthia Cates, balances duties with Valley Choral Society as both President and Accompanist. She began playing piano at the age of seven in her hometown of Aberdeen, Washington, and attended Northwestern University to study

piano performance. She is also a violinist and plays both piano and violin with the Folsom Symphony. In recent years she has served as music director for productions including The Sound of Music, Hello Dolly, Oklahoma!, Annie, 42nd Street, Swing, Seussical the Musical and Sweeny Todd. She began her association with Valley Choral Society as a violinist for the choir’s annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, and has accompanied the group since the Spring of 2001.

Paul Allen, Conductor & Artistic Director, has a rich musical background. He has served as associate conductor of the Ft. Lauderdale Philharmonic and musical director for the Ft. Lauderdale Philharmonic Chorus in Florida; organist and choirmaster at the First Methodist Church in Miami, and director of the South Florida Mormon Chorale. In Sacramento he has served as the Director of Music at Trinity and St. Mark’s Methodist Churches. He holds a degree in Music and Choral Conducting from Cambridge

University and is an accomplished tenor. He has worked as the Musical Director for dozens of theatrical productions, including Les Miserables, The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Best, Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, and The Pirates of Penzance. Locally, his music directing credits include productions for Music Circus and Sacramento State University.

Kathy Visher, Associate Artistic Director, graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music education and vocal performance. She was a regional finalist in both the Metropolitan Opera and San Francisco Opera auditions. She has soloed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, of which she is a former member, and with the Utah Symphony and the Folsom Symphony. Her performing credits include soprano roles in The Marriage of Figaro, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Die Fledermaus, The Old Maid and the Thief, Gianni Schicchi, Albert Herring, Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Brahms’ German Requiem, Britten’s War Requiem, and The Sound of Music. She has taught music at the elementary, secondary, and university levels, and has conducted many church choirs. She is a private music instructor and director of the Folsom Lake Youth Choir.

About Messiah

Handel composed Messiah in London in 1741. Within six days part one was complete. In nine days more he had finished part two, and in another six, part three. The orchestration was completed in another two days. In all, 260 pages of manuscript were filled in the remarkably short time of 24 days.

Handel didn’t leave his house during those three weeks, and rarely stopped to eat. A friend who visited him as he composed found him sobbing with intense emotions. Later, as Handel groped for words to describe what he had experienced, he quoted Paul, saying “Whether I was in the body or out of my body when I wrote it I know not”.

Messiah premiered on April 13, 1742 as a charitable benefit, raising 400 pounds (British Sterling) and freeing 142 men from debtor’s prison. A year later, Handel staged it in London, a performance attended by the King of England. As the first notes of the triumphant Hallelujah Chorus rang out, the King rose. Following the royal protocol, the entire audience stood too, initiating a tradition that has lasted more than two and a half centuries.

Handel personally conducted more than thirty performances of Messiah, many of which were benefits for charity. The thousands of pounds that Handel’s performances of Messiah raised led one biographer to note: “Messiah fed the hungry, clothed the naked, fostered the orphan...more than any other single musical production in this or any country.” Another wrote: “Perhaps the works of no other composer have so largely contributed to the relief of human suffering.”

Valley Choral Society was formed in the Spring of 2000. Its mission is to bring God’s light to the community, performing music composed with the intent to elevate the human soul, and welcomes musicians of all religious faiths. VCS performs several concerts each year. The fall concert series traditionally features Handel’s Messiah and selected Christmas carols.

The Valley Choral Society is an artistic partner with Galena Street East, an organization dedicated to serving the community through entertainment presented by professionally trained young performers and to provide uplifting programs that educate and inspire.