Kokomo Symphony Orchestra resumes 50th season with Handel's 'Messiah'

Mar. 9—With several Christian holidays around the corner, the Kokomo Symphony Orchestra has prepared a celebration of its own.

The symphony's 50th season is resuming Sunday with a concert titled "Getting a Handle on Handel."

The show's main feature will be George Frideric Handel's "Messiah," which employs a choir to tell the biblical story of Jesus Christ. Audience members would likely recognize the "Hallelujah" chorus that rounds out the second part of the composition.

Other than "Messiah," the concert will also feature Handel's "The Cuckoo and the Nightingale" and "Concerto Grosso in D minor."

"It's Handel all the way," quipped José Valencia, the symphony's artistic director and conductor.

While the symphony has performed "Messiah" in the past, most recently in 2018, Valencia explained it usually covers the first part of the composition, which tells the story of the nativity, along with the finales of the second and third parts.

This time, the symphony will perform the second and third parts of "Messiah," which tell the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.

"That goes to the very end of one of the most beautiful amens that I've ever heard in my life," Valencia said.

Valencia pointed out some orchestras perform "Messiah" once or twice a year. Usually, those orchestras are better funded than the Kokomo Symphony.

"It's very, very popular and it ties with seasonal religious messages. And so I think that it becomes appropriate to do annually if one can," Valencia said. "We just don't do it annually because we don't have that many concerts a year and we would like to do lots of different music."

The artistic director explained "Messiah" is popular for several reasons. For starters, the choir music is accessible, doesn't require extensive study and is "extremely satisfying to perform."

The choir singing in English also contributes to the composition's popularity, Valencia added.

While Handel was born in Prussia, he became an English citizen in 1712 and found success writing for an English audience, the artistic director explained.

Since "Messiah" is an oratorio — think of an opera, but without a stage production — the symphony has organized a chamber choir of more than 20 vocalists to perform with the orchestra.

Valencia said the choir fits into the symphony's goal to boost community participation in its 50th season. Similarly, the season finale will feature Kokomo Civic Theatre performers to present a multimedia Stephen Sondheim concert. Auditions for the Sondheim production will be held Wednesday and Thursday at the KCT Warehouse, 722 N. McCann St.

"We're just really trying to continue to build on our 50-year history and build collaborations in the community," Valencia said.

"Concerto Grosso in D minor" was selected for the concert to offer audience members something a bit different, Valencia said. It's somewhat challenging for string players and the conductor called it "a flashy piece for the orchestra."

Matt Gerhard will serve as the organist for "The Cuckoo and the Nightingale." He is a returning performer who played organ during the orchestra's "Symphonic Power" concert in May.

The organist explained the concerto got its nickname because Handel wrote cuckoo and nightingale bird calls into the composition.

"It is probably Handel's most famous organ concerto," Gerhard said. He later added, "It's a nice concerto. There are several different tempos, styles, feelings in the concerto itself. It's light and bouncy."

James Bennett III can be reached at 765-454-8580 or james.bennett@kokomotribune.com.