Handel's Messiah

What is H+H CitySing?

We are looking for a few good singers! In the inspiring original spirit of the "Society" of H+H, Artistic Director Jonathan Cohen is pleased to share a new program that involves more singers from our community. This fall H+H launches CitySing, which celebrates the vitality of Boston’s singing community. For the inaugural CitySing, we welcome 30 members of choral ensembles from around Boston to join the H+H Chorus on the stage of Symphony Hall to perform selected portions of Handel's Messiah, a work that has been synonymous with H+H since the Society sang the “Hallelujah” chorus during its first concert on Christmas Day in 1815.

Our Society was founded with a principle that music-making is a shared experience. Whether you're on stage, in the audience, or work behind the scenes to create the magic of H+H, You Are the Music. It's with this inspiring belief that we invite skilled and interested singers to join us.

Learn more about CitySing from H+H's Artistic Director, Jonathan Cohen.

Why Messiah?

As one of the leading ensembles dedicated to historically informed performance (HIP), we feel strongly about our version of Messiah. Whether you’ve sung Messiah all your life and can sing it from memory, or whether this would be your first opportunity, we're certain this will be a life changing musical experience for you.

In future years, this initiative will be paired with other concerts featuring other repertoire, but for the inaugural performance of the H+H CitySing, we can’t think of a better concert to celebrate the vitality of Boston’s singing community than our beloved Messiah.

More Details

Always wanted to sing on the stage of Symphony Hall? Dreamt of singing Messiah before a crowd of thousands? We are looking for you! H+H seeks a diversity of voices for CitySing, intending to assemble an ensemble that reflects the breadth of choral singing in our region and is composed of singers with a variety of experiences and vocal training. We will select singers who we believe have the best chance for success. This is a perfect opportunity to experience this iconic work surrounded by professional singers who are experts in H+H's specialty - historically informed performance.

What are we looking for?

Generally at H+H, we are looking for singers with the best of the following:

  • GREAT SINGING! We’re looking for great singers, including things like solid technique, vocal skills, intonation, healthy habits. H+H assumes musicianship skills, and seeks singers with a developed sense of musicality, beyond demonstration of musical accuracy.
  • PASSION for the repertoire. Though prior experience performing Baroque repertoire is highly valued, we are looking for singers with a passion for the repertoire we sing. Passion can make up for lack of experience.
  • COMMUNICATION Are you able to convey to the audience your passion and musicality?
  • PREPARATION H+H singers commit to learning the repertoire in advance of rehearsal so our time together can focus on the ensemble.
  • COLLEGIALITY Choral singing is, by nature, working with others. For the sake of all involved in the music-making, we value singers who sing with awareness of their voice with their neighbor’s, whose aural skills in rehearsal are as important as vocal skills, and whose comportment and presence contributes to a positive environment for the music and the musicians.

Rehearsal + Performance Schedule

  • Saturday, Nov 16 - 1:30-4:30pm rehearsal +
  • Saturday, Nov 23 - 1:00-4:00pm rehearsal +
  • Sunday, Nov 24 - 2:30-3:30pm reception (optional); 3:30-6:00pm & 7:00-9:30pm rehearsals ~
  • Monday, Nov 25 - 6:00-9:00pm rehearsal #
  • Tuesday, Nov 26 - 6:00-9:00pm rehearsal #
  • Wednesday, Nov 27 - 2:00-5:30pm dress rehearsal *
  • Friday, Nov 29 - 5:30-6:30pm warmup; 7:30-10:30pm concert *
  • Saturday, Nov 30 - 1:30-2:00pm warmup; 3:00-6:00pm concert *
  • Sunday, Dec 1 - 1:30-2:00pm warmup; 3:00-6:00pm concert *

Locations

+ United Parish, Brookline (210 Harvard St, Brookline)
~ Beth El Temple Center (2 Concord Ave, Belmont)
# BYSO Youth Center for Music (235 Huntington Ave, Boston)
* Symphony Hall (301 Massachusetts Ave, Boston)

Complimentary Concert Tickets

Selected singers receive two (2) complimentary tickets to one of the three performances of Handel's Messiah.

Audition Today

Ready to join us for the first H+H CitySing?

Just fill out this form and include a short video, where you should introduce yourself, your voice part, and one minute of something that shows off your voice. No accompaniment required.

Submit Your Audition Materials

Don’t delay. Apply now! Limited space still available. Applications will be accepted until all spots are filled.

For more information, please reach out to us at citysing@handelandhaydn.org.