From Our Conductor...
09-21-2026
Posted In: RCU News -
From Our Director...
Greetings, RCU Chorus!
Here we are again, preparing our hearts and minds for another Handel’s Messiah. Our lives are busy with a new season: school, church, children, grandchildren, jobs, and just life in general. The inclusion of this music and the preparation of it puts one more thing into our busy schedules. I remember one teacher I worked with saying, “If you want something done, give it to someone who’s already busy.” How true.
However, what better way to prepare our way for the Lord? Our collective response, whether singing or praying, helps us center our lives. Handel just made it simpler in some ways. No, it is not easy to sing 15-16 chorus numbers with unbelievable text and music, all in time with 75 other musicians, but the collective result is one of the most glorious enterprises we can do in our lives. Not only for ourselves but for our audiences and the people in our community.
I am always amazed at how well the parts are learned as we come together. We are learning such things as balance, ensemble singing, diction, and musicality. I am truly blessed by all of you that we get to make music and present the message of one of the most glorious stories ever written. I can tell from our rehearsals that you feel the same way.
Can we do it better? Always. Was it in need of fixing last year? By no means. I was extremely pleased with the performance and your improvement in all areas, especially in regards to diction. Even those people who have heard it performed by us many times have commented to me on our musicality and how much the text came out. We will build on our strengths and success.
We have, as always, a strong orchestra and soloists with us again this year. But over the years, I have come to believe it is the chorus that tells the story – you do the heavy lifting! I am super excited to work with all of you again, and it is my pleasure to say that I get to work with all of you!
Sincerely, Mike Beert, Director
Greetings, RCU Chorus!
Here we are again, preparing our hearts and minds for another Handel’s Messiah. Our lives are busy with a new season: school, church, children, grandchildren, jobs, and just life in general. The inclusion of this music and the preparation of it puts one more thing into our busy schedules. I remember one teacher I worked with saying, “If you want something done, give it to someone who’s already busy.” How true.
However, what better way to prepare our way for the Lord? Our collective response, whether singing or praying, helps us center our lives. Handel just made it simpler in some ways. No, it is not easy to sing 15-16 chorus numbers with unbelievable text and music, all in time with 75 other musicians, but the collective result is one of the most glorious enterprises we can do in our lives. Not only for ourselves but for our audiences and the people in our community.
I am always amazed at how well the parts are learned as we come together. We are learning such things as balance, ensemble singing, diction, and musicality. I am truly blessed by all of you that we get to make music and present the message of one of the most glorious stories ever written. I can tell from our rehearsals that you feel the same way.
Can we do it better? Always. Was it in need of fixing last year? By no means. I was extremely pleased with the performance and your improvement in all areas, especially in regards to diction. Even those people who have heard it performed by us many times have commented to me on our musicality and how much the text came out. We will build on our strengths and success.
We have, as always, a strong orchestra and soloists with us again this year. But over the years, I have come to believe it is the chorus that tells the story – you do the heavy lifting! I am super excited to work with all of you again, and it is my pleasure to say that I get to work with all of you!
Sincerely, Mike Beert, Director
Posted In: RCU News -