Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra & Festival Choir of Madison
Ingrid Laas
A choir by a Christmas tree.
Festival Choir of Madison singers during the 2021 "Messiah" performance with Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.
media release: Kicking off the holiday season early this year, join the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Festival Choir of Madison for a favorite holiday tradition. Written in just 24 days by George Frideric Handel, Messiah is considered the most performed classical piece of music worldwide. Although based on religious texts, the message remains universal, and Handel intended it to be performed in the concert hall. For this performance the orchestra and choir are joined by soloists: Sarah Lawrence, soprano; Sadie Cheslak, alto; Gene Stenger, tenor; and Timothy Jones, bass.
Single tickets are on sale and can be purchased by going online at wcoconcerts.org or by calling the Overture Center Box Office at 608.258.4141. **Subscribers to the Masterworks series get a special discount on tickets and should contact the WCO office to get their tickets by calling 608.257.0638.
To keep up-to-date with performance schedules, community members can sign up for email updates on the WCO website or follow the orchestra on Facebook and Instagram. To donate, visit wcoconcerts.org/donate.
About the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra
Maestro Andrew Sewell and the musicians of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra (WCO) bring national caliber music to more than 250,000 music lovers annually. No other arts organization in Wisconsin performs free for more people each year. Founded in 1960, the WCO is one of Madison’s gems, a national-caliber chamber orchestra behind the now four-decade summer tradition of Concerts on the Square.
The WCO also presents the classical Masterworks series at the Overture Center, the annually sold-out Messiah, and education concerts for families and children. In 2021, the WCO launched its first Composer in Residence program, bringing in acclaimed composer, author, musician, and professor Dr. Bill Banfield to write major works while in residence. While headquartered in Madison, the orchestra has played around the state. To learn more about the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra visit wcoconcerts.org.
About the Festival Choir of Madison
Under the artistic direction of Sergei Pavlov, Festival Choir of Madison is an auditioned, mixed-voice volunteer choir of over 60 experienced singers. For over 50 years, Festival Choir has been making memories for generations by providing outstanding performances to the greater Dane County area. The group’s thematic concerts center on artistically challenging choral music ranging from traditional, modern, to eclectic works. Individual choral performances for the 2023-2024 season include a holiday performance, “Merrily on High,” Sunday, December 17th at 3:00pm at Asbury Church, 6101 University Ave in Madison, and “Gladsome Light,” an a cappella concert of Eastern Orthodox music featuring works by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Saturday, May 11 at 7:30pm at First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Drive in Madison. For tickets and more information, visit www.festivalchoirmadison.org.