REXBURG — Volunteer musicians in Rexburg will perform a community favorite this December, Handel’s “Messiah.” The oratorio was written in 1741 by George Frideric Handel with text from the King James Version of the Bible.
The community of Rexburg often performs “Messiah” around Christmas time, though the last performance with an orchestra and choir was before the COVID-19 pandemic. The community was scheduled to perform the concert in 2020 but canceled. In 2022, instead of a full performance, the city held a sing-in where people could come and sing along with three organists from BYU-Idaho who split up the pieces.
“I was really pleased, people came, and they could do it,” said Heidi Pyper, the choir director for “Messiah.” “People know the ‘Messiah.’”
This year, Pyper will again be in charge of the choir and Rick Hansen, retired Madison High School orchestra teacher, will direct the orchestra. There will also be four soloists: Rebecca Pyper-Busselberg, Rachel Keppner, Jacob Spjute and Paul Busserber.
“It’s going to be great!” Pyper said.
The musicians are all volunteers and come from the surrounding community. Pyper said the ability of a town like Rexburg to put on a great performance of “Messiah” is a testament to the people here. She credits the musical abilities of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a strong music community at BYU-Idaho and a little bit of magic. She said this is one of the perfect ways to worship Jesus Christ at Christmas time.
“If you have a fabulous orchestra, and you have people who have rehearsed and can sing notes on pitch and also have that unified feeling, there’s nothing like it,” Pyper said. “I love it. It’s worth a lot to me.”
The free performance is Sunday, Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rexburg Tabernacle Civic Center. If you would like to sing in the choir, email Pyper at heidipyper1@gmail.com.