This week for What Where When-sday, we feature a local music festival centered on the holiday season’s iconic Handel’s Messiah. The Music City Oratorio Festival is a two-day event: Saturday features sessions to learn about the music from scholars and artists, followed by a concert. Sunday is a sing-along that’s open to the public.
The festival is hosted by Early Music City and Christ Church Cathedral. WPLN Afternoon Host LaTonya Turner talked with organizer and classical artist Patrick Dailey.
“It’s a sing-along, so you are invited to sing along with the choruses,” he said. “You will be supported by a professional chamber orchestra, some of the finest players in Nashville. And you’ll also have some voices from the W. Crimm Singers, a group I am also the founder and artistic director of. We don’t want you to hold back your emotions. We want you to engage with the artists and give them that love right back to them.”
He continues: “It is our expanded take on the traditional Handel’s Messiah sing-along concert. We don’t want people to just come, sing and leave. We really want people to be more knowledgeable about the work and also grow and gain in community. We also want to make this a fun environment. We want to this a truly joyful environment. We invite people to really bring their full self.”
It could be intimidating for some people who think, they can’t sing, but would like to participate in this. Dailey has advice for those people.
“That is totally and completely understandable, we still welcome you to participate in the way that’s comfortable for you,” he said. “If you feel like you don’t know the music, you don’t read music or are not familiar with this work, you are welcome to join us on Saturday, where we will have choral clinics and sectionals for people to get familiar with those choruses. Messiah pulls from scripture and biblical scripture has a place where it says make a joyful noise. It didn’t say the noise need to be beautiful, pretty or perfect. It said be joyful. That’s really what we’re going for. Everyone is welcome to participate and make that noise in whatever way they feel comfortable doing.”
Additional event opportunities in the next week:
Tonight (Nov 12) you could see grandson at Brooklyn Bowl. On Thursday night (Nov 13) WNXP Trivia is back at the Blue Room. Also on Thursday Jose Gonzalez performs at the Ryman and Langhorne Slim: The Dreamin Kind album preview is hosted at Skinny Dennis. Sunday night (Nov 16) Band of Skulls is at the Basement East and I’m With Her is performing at the Ryman. Wrap up this week’s listings Monday night (Nov 17) with Triathlon at The Blue Room.
