Dr Nicole Weston to open 16th Annual SingAlong Messiah Event
The 16th annual Tom and Emma McAlexander Community Sing-Along Messiah will take place on Saturday December 20 at 4 PM at the Church of the Holy Cross in Hilo.
Open to both seasoned vocalists and enthusiastic first-timers, the Sing-Along Messiah blends performance and participation, transforming the audience into the choir. All are welcome to come join this holiday tradition of singing Part One or “Christmas Portions” of Handel’s well-known oratorio, “Messiah,” plus the famous “Hallelujah Chorus.” It’s also OK to just attend and listen and enjoy the music. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own music scores, and music scores will also be available at the door to borrow or purchase. It is a free event.
The event will begin with Dr Nicole Weston singing a warm-up number with the audience, and Messiah soloists from past years. Dr Weston will lead the spiritual “Go Tell It On the Mountain.”
Dr Weston is the founder of both the Hawaii Island Community Gospel Choir, and Hawaii Wellness Mobility Network.
Musicians Rick Mazurowski and Walter Greenwood will then begin playing Handel’s Messiah on organ and piano. The conductor this year is Herb Mahelona, composer and educator at Kamehameha Schools.
The audience is the chorus, and soloists from the community take on the challenging and beloved arias such as “Every Valley,“ “Rejoice Greatly,” and “He Shall Feed His Flock.”
Community soloists this year include Roni Koscik, Viki DeMello, Hendrika Maili, Paul Paulsen, Doug Howell, Bob Grove, Steven Meyer, Ruth Robison, James Hoover, Belinda Castillo Hall, and event organizer Ian McMillan.
McMillan says “Typically you would just have 4 professional singers who perform all the solos. I divide it up into 11 solo opportunities, so more singers get the chance to be a soloist and learn this challenging music. Anyone who would like to give it a try next year is always welcome to contact me, and if you have a friend you think should be a soloist, you can nominate them as well.”
Handel wrote “Messiah” in 1741, 284 years ago, and it has been performed annually since, making it perhaps the oldest piece of Western music with such a long unbroken performance history.
“Messiah” is often the first classical choral music a student learns in high school, and might then be sung repeatedly through life, creating a community of choral singers throughout the world who all know and love the same piece of music.
The event is dedicated to Tom and Emma McAlexander. Tom, a long-time choral conductor in Volcano and Hilo, founded both the Hilo Community Chorus and the SingAlong Messiah event. Tom passed away in 2024, and is survived by his wife Emma, who has recently moved to Pennsylvania to live with her sister.
The SingAlong Messiah event is co-sponsored by the Big Island Singers, Hilo Community Chorus, and Church of the Holy Cross.
ABOUT DR NICOLE WESTON’S HAWAII WELLNESS MOBILITY NETWORK https://www.hwmnohanasupport.com/missionandvision “Our programs include physical therapy and mobility-focused services, movement and dance-based wellness programs, music-integrated therapeutic activities, mental health and family support groups, nutrition education, community workshops, and research initiatives”
