Cosette Justo Valdés, conductor
McKenzie Warriner, soprano
Oli Guselle, alto
Spencer McKnight, tenor
Brenden Friesen, bass
SSO Chorus, Duff Warkentin, conductor
Fun | Community | Relaxed
Love Handel’s Messiah so much you want to sing it from the rooftop? Well, you’re in luck. Join us as we sing along to all your favourite Messiah choruses. Experience the joy of singing as one, or just the incredible sound that comes from so many voices joined together in song.
We use the Novello edition of Handel’s Messiah and will have a limited number of copies to lend out during the sing-along. Want to get some practice in ahead of time, or just prefer to read from a device? Use this copy!
Check out our Messiah concert right HERE!
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The Program
Sing-Along Messiah
1. Sinfonia
2. Tenor Recitative: Comfort ye my people
3. Tenor Air: Ev’ry valley shall be exalted
4. Chorus: And the glory of the Lord
8. Alto Recitative: Behold, a virgin shall conceive
9. Alto Air and Chorus: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion
10. Bass Recitative: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth
11. Bass Air: The people that walked in darkness
12. Chorus: For unto us a child is born
13. Pifa
14a. Soprano Recitative: There were shepherds abiding in the field
14b. Soprano Recitative: And, lo, the angel of the Lord
15. Soprano Recitative: And the angel said unto them
16. Soprano Recitative: And suddenly there was with the angel
17. Chorus: Glory to God
18. Soprano Air: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion
19. Alto Recitative: Then shall the eyes of the blind
20. Alto and Soprano Duet: He shall feed his flock
21. Chorus: His yoke is easy, and his burthen is light
~Intermission~
22. Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God
23. Alto Air: He was despised
24. Chorus: Surely he hath borne our griefs
25. Chorus: And with his stripes we are healed
26. Chorus: All we like sheep have gone astray
27. Tenor Recitative: All they that see him laugh him to scorn
28. Chorus: He trusted in God
40. Bass Air: Why do the nations so furiously rage together?
41. Chorus: Let us break their bonds asunder
42. Tenor Recitative: He that dwelleth in heaven
43. Tenor Air: Thou shalt break them
44. Chorus: Hallelujah
45. Soprano Air: I know that my redeemer liveth
46. Chorus: Since by man came death
47. Bass Recitative: Behold, I tell you a mystery
48. Bass Air: The trumpet shall sound
53. Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain/Amen
George Frideric Handel
Charles Jennens, librettist
The Artists
Cosette Justo Valdés, conductor
With her gorgeous, passionate style and firecracking energy, Cuban-born and raised conductor Cosette Justo Valdés has garnered acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic and is a rising star on…
McKenzie Warriner, soprano
McKenzie Warriner is a Saskatchewan born and raised soprano bringing music and text to life in works ranging from 17 th century opera to the cutting-edge. In the 22/23 season,…
Oli Guselle, alto
Oli Guselle is a settler born in Saskatoon (Treaty 6) now residing in Toronto (Treaty 13). They just graduated this spring with their Bachelors of Music in vocal performance from…
Spencer McKnight, tenor
Tenor Spencer McKnight has been described as “one of the finest tenor voices” in Canada. McKnight began singing at the age of 17. He was encouraged to pursue music by…
Brenden Friesen, bass
Saskatchewan born bass Brenden Friesen has captured audiences with his powerful resonance, exceptional diction, enormous comedic presence, and incredible interpretation of text (Opera Canada). Brenden is a recent graduate of…
Duff Warkentin, conductor
Duff Warkentin has been a choral conductor and clinician for many years. His formal post- secondary education was at Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg, the University of Waterloo, and…
This concert includes:
Violin 1
Michael Swan, concertmaster
Jacqueline Nutting, assistant concertmaster
Lillian Jen-Payzant
Joan Savage
Violin 2
Oxana Ossiptchouk, principal
Karen Bindle
Drusilla Waltz
Kevin MacMillan
Viola
Jim Legge, principal
Saache Heinrich
Cello
Scott McKnight
John Payzant
Bass
David Humphrey
Oboe
Erin Brophey, principal
Kevin Junk
Bassoon
Stephanie Unverricht, principal
Trumpet
Aaron Bueckert
Terry Heckman
Timpani
Darrell Bueckert, principal
Keyboard
Sofia Mycyk
Click here to read about your Orchestra!
The Saskatoon Symphony Chorus
Duff Warkentin, choral conductor
Soprano
Lindy Antonini
Kathleen Brannen
Catherine Berntson
Shelley Bueckert
Heidi Dick
Susan Ens-Funk
Jami Gubbe
Andrea Johnson
Alto
Jaki Esquirol
Morgan Esquirol
Kathryn Janzen
Lynette Janzen
Catherine Klopoushak
Mary Loewen
Shirl Siebert
Elaine Thaller
Jill Wiens
Tenor
Peter Cowan
Robert Dick
Michael Friesen
Peter Hooge
Derrick Lee
Tyrone McKenzie
Duff Warkentin
David Woloschuk
Bass
Brady Anderson
Patrick Brannen
Eric Chang
Blake Cumming
James Hawn
Jonathan Moore-Wright
Matthew Praksas
Phil Siebert
Click here to learn more about our Partners.
Program Notes
Charles Jennens, librettist
Charles Jennens was an English landowner and arts supporter. A friend of George Frideric Handel’s, he helped author the libretti of several Handel oratorios, including the much-loved Messiah. A libretto…
George Frideric Handel, composer
George Frideric Handel, baptised Georg Friedrich Händel; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759, was not just a one-hit-wonder. While this German-British Baroque composer is most well known for the…
Handel’s Messiah Premiere
The music for Messiah was completed in 24 days of swift composition. Having received Jennens’s text some time after 10 July 1741, Handel began work on it on 22 August….
Sing-Along Messiah FAQ
Messiah time is almost here! We love putting together and performing Handel’s Messiah each year. If it were possible we would fit everyone from Saskatoon’s large choral community on stage…
Interesting Facts about Handel’s Messiah
We’re thrilled to be performing Handel’s hit this year after a 3 year wait! It’s a 109 year old tradition in Saskatoon – and we’re so excited to have our…
What’s happening at the Bassment
The Bassment is one of Canada’s premier jazz clubs and provides musicians of all skill levels a venue to showcase their talents in front of a live audience while accessing…
