By Amy Gold
Cedar City: The Orchestra of Southern Utah and Chorale present Handel’s Messiah on December 14 and 15 at the Heritage Center at 7:30 PM. Tickets are free thanks to sponsorships from The Dixie and Anne Leavitt Foundation, The Leavitt Group, and State Bank of Southern Utah. Tickets are available at myosu.org.
Celebrate the spirit of the season with “Glory Revealed,” the eighty-fifth annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, a treasured Cedar City tradition. This beloved holiday event brings together orchestra, choir, and community in a powerful musical expression of hope, joy, and reverence. Generously supported, Handel’s Messiah has become more than a concert, it is a generational celebration where friends, neighbors, and loved ones gather to experience this timeless message through music. Whether it is your first time or your eighty-fifth, this sacred performance is a heartwarming reminder of the true meaning of the season.
One of the current cellists remembers a particularly vivid performance. Leah Brown was expecting her fifth child in January and started having twinges during the December concert in 1998. She finished the concert and had a baby boy named Calvin about 1 AM. Friends teased her that his name should be Hal for the “Hallelujah” chorus. Traditionally, the audience stands for this rousing chorus.
Jackie Riddle-Jackson directs the orchestra and chorale with assistance from Alex Byers. The Cedar City tradition is to give several vocalists the opportunity to be a soloist with the orchestra. Soloists are chosen by audition and include Matthew Clegg, Joseph Marrow, Ralayna Amy, Alana Schmidt, Krystal Wallis, Madelynn Zobel, Zachary Smith, Payson Davis, Jordan Sanders, Melissa Wright, Alex Byers, and Taliah Byers. Ruth Zeller performs trumpet for “The Trumpet Shall Sound.”
Sheri Butler helps coordinate the Chorale, and they started their rehearsals in October with pianist Jessica Mathews. Many family groups are involved in the production. Last season, the Fife and Riddle family had eleven family members participating.
Putting the Chorale and Orchestra together happens after Thanksgiving and is a joyous musical reunion. In the 1960s Blaine Johnson prepared the Chorale and Roy L. Halversen prepared the orchestra. When it was time to combine the groups, Halversen would lead the second violins as Johnson conducted.
The Cedar City performances have been held in many schools and community venues over the years. Performances are now at the Heritage Center Theater, 105 N. 100 East. Musicians volunteer their time to make these concerts available to the community.
Lobby music before the concert on Sunday will be performed by the Southern Utah Handbell Choir. On Monday, the Southern Utah String Quartet will play a collection of Christmas music, mostly arranged by Evelyn Jones.
Remember to get your free tickets early, as this is a popular holiday tradition. Tickets are available at myosu.org. There will be a standby line when all tickets are distributed, and any empty seats will be released at 7:15 PM. Suitable for children six and above with adult supervision. No babies please because the concert is recorded.
“You are invited to celebrate the Christmas season through this wonderful music,” said Harold Shirley, OSU President.
Who: Orchestra of Southern Utah and Chorale
What: Eighty-fifth performance of Handel’s Messiah
When: Sunday, Dec. 14 and Monday, Dec. 15
Where: Heritage Center Theater, 105 N. 100 East, Cedar City
Why: Celebrating the Christmas season through music with this timeless masterpiece
How: Volunteer performance by community musicians
