Furman Symphony, Oratorio Chorus to present “Messiah” Dec. 4

The Furman Symphony Orchestra and Oratorio Chorus will present Handel’s Messiah Friday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. in McAlister Auditorium on the Furman University campus.

The event is part of the Sound Quality Concert Series and is open to the public. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for students/youth.

Conducted by Furman music professor Dr. William Thomas, Handel’s Messiah holds a unique position as a monument of Western civilization. 1742 marked the debut of Messiah in Dublin, Ireland. The oratorio later gained in popularity particularly in England and America, eventually becoming one of the best known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music.

Adjunct professor Jay-Martin Pinner has prepared the Furman Symphony Orchestra in the absence of Dr. Thomas Joiner who is teaching in Furman’s Study Away program in Arezzo, Italy. The Furman Symphony Orchestra and the Oratorio Chorus, featuring outstanding student soloists, will present highlights of the work including the famous “Hallelujah” chorus.

Soloists for the performance are:

William Booker, tenor, Holly Springs, N.C.
Evan Currie, baritone, Mount Holly, N.C.
Jessie Barnett, mezzo-soprano, Greenville, S.C.
Mason Lambert, baritone, Moore, S.C.
Julia Woodward, soprano, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Layla Dougani, soprano, Morrisville, N.C.
Ashton Nicewonger, mezzo-soprano, Pelion, S.C.
Carmen Beam, soprano, Greenville, S.C.
Kristen Murdaugh, mezzo-soprano, Smoaks, S.C.
James Douglas, tenor, Rome, Ga.
Bergsvein Toverud, tenor, Lenoir, N.C.
Henry Branson, tenor, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Andrew Whitlow, tenor, Savannah, Ga.

For more information or advance ticket sales, call the Furman Music Office at (864) 294-2086. Tickets may be ordered online at www.furman.edu/MusicTickets.

About Dr. William Thomas

Thomas served as Chair of Furman’s Music Department for nearly two decades, and currently teaches studio voice and vocal pedagogy, directs the department’s study away program, Music in Italy, and regularly conducts major works for choir and orchestra. A member of the Furman faculty since 1987, his career is marked by constant activity as a solo and ensemble singer, conductor and clinician, nearly 40 years of college teaching and administration, and a number of church music positions. His work with the Furman Chamber Choir includes the highly anticipated annual presentation of a Festival of Lessons and Carols in Furman’s Daniel Chapel.