The Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra & Chorus (CSO) invites audiences to experience the drama of Messiah, George Frideric Handel鈥檚 most beloved work.

CSO is a non-profit society incorporated in 1999, founded by the late Maestro John van Liempt and Paula DeWit to offer Fraser Valley music lovers their own first class symphony orchestra and chorus.

鈥�Messiah transcends cultural, geographic, and religious boundaries with its message of charity, peace, goodwill, and sacrifice,鈥� DeWit said. 鈥淚t also contains some of the most uplifting, touching, and magnificent music ever composed.鈥�

Beginning Dec. 12th, DeWit will direct four amazing, young soloists, the Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Chilliwack Children鈥檚 and Youth choir and Belle Voci in performances of Messiah in the Valley.

READ MORE: Vancouver Orpheus Male Voice Choir comes to St Andrew鈥檚 Anglican Church Dec. 6

Among the guest soloists is Aldergrove resident David Rosborough, who told the 91原创 Advance Times that he is a baritone that has been singing since he was very young.

鈥淚 started my formal voice training when I was eight years old, and actually one of my first public performances was a performance of Handel鈥檚 Messiah,鈥� Rosborough explained.

鈥淭he first time I performed with the Chilliwack Symphony was for their Messiah in the Valley series last year. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Paula, the CSO, the Chilliwack Symphony Chorus, and the Chilliwack Children鈥檚 Choir last year, so I was delighted to be asked to perform again this year,鈥� he continued.

Rosborough called Messiah one of the great 鈥渕asterworks鈥� of classical music, and is undoubtedly the most frequently performed works especially around Christmas.

鈥淗andel tells the story of the Messiah - Jesus - through a collection of texts drawn from the Old Testament prophecies and some of the New Testament writings in the Gospels and Epistles,鈥� Rosborough said. 鈥淭he texts are set in a variety of ways - solo recitatives where the text is essentially recited with simple musical accompaniment, arias, or extended solos 鈥� which tend to be complex and vocally demanding, and choruses where the choir sings with the orchestra.鈥�

Messiah in the Valley will be presented on:

Thursday, Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m., at St. James in Abbotsford, 2777 Townline Rd.

Friday, Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m., at First Ave in Chilliwack, 46510 First Ave.

Saturday, Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m., at St. Joseph in 91原创, 20676 Fraser Hwy.

Sunday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m., at Sts. Joachim and Ann in Aldergrove, 2827 273 St.

Tickets start at $15.

Available by phone at 604-795-0521 or online at .

Aldergrove performance admission is by donation.

鈥淥ne of the nice things about the Messiah in the Valley performances is that they add in a children鈥檚 chorus, who sing with the 鈥済rown-ups鈥� in several choruses and have a couple of moments on their own as well,鈥� Rosborough added.

鈥滻 think the audience can also expect to hear really great performances from the other soloists, too. It should be a very memorable event.鈥�

_________________________________

Is there more to this story?

Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com

Like us on or follow us on

_________________________________