North Jersey Messiah Sing In 2008

Welcome

Welcome to the home page for the North Jersey Messiah Sing - in.

The event is scheduled for December 20, 2008 at 7:00 PM.  It will be held at Bethlehem Church located at 758 Route 10: Randolph, NJ.  On the day of the performance, please arrive by 6:00 PM.  Seating is scheduled to begin no later than 6:30 so that we will be ready to sing at 7:00 PM.

Please Note: We will be collecting a suggested $10 donation, the proceeds will cover the expenses directly related to the North Jersey Messiah Sing In.  Money not spent for this event will be sent to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  You can learn more about JDRF at www.jdf.org

On this site you will find links to help you

Discover what a Messiah Sing-in is and how it works

Learn how the North Jersey Messiah came to be

List of the selections we will be performing there is also a link to hear rehearsal tracks

Pre - Register for the event we want to prepare for your arrival.  Registrations will be accepted at the door.  A limited number of scores will be available for purchase at the door.

Purchase a score

Get directions to Bethlehem Church

Guest book pages to help you connect with other singers who will be joining us

Contact information for the individuals and organizations hosting the event

Thank You

Thank you for registering for the North Jersey Messiah Sing In.  We look forward to seeing you on Saturday December 20, 2008.

November 26 update

November 26, 2008

Dear RHS Alumni,

Once again we are anticipating a great turnout for the Messiah Sing-In.   Last year, our inaugural year for the

North Jersey

sing-in, we had about 200 singers from all over the area, including representation from about 7 or 8 states.  Since then we have been able to make contact with even more alumni and other choral groups, encouraging them to attend.  We will have several additional conductors from the area, sharing their musical interpretation of the various choruses in the first and second section of the Messiah.  We are fortunate that John Girvin will again be our accompanist.

Our web site has not been adjusted yet to reflect all of the changes for this year.  All of the organizers involved in last year’s event have accepted other commitments in the interim, and have been limited in the time they are able to devote to the sing-in, including the maintenance of the web site www.NJMessiah.org  however, rest assured we are planning for the event, as time allows.  The specific important elements are:

·         The Sing-In will be held at the

Bethlehem Church on

Rt. 10 in Randolph,  Sat. Dec. 20th

·         7PM sharp start

·         6:15 suggested arrival time of participants

·         Piano and Organ accompanists

·         Student Soloists from area schools

·         Attractive attire (not formal)

·         Four-part Christmas Carol warm-ups

·         Doug Beavers will join the team as one of the conductors

·         Not essential to pre-register, however, highly encouraged.

·         $10 donation per singer

·         CD’s  will be made

·         Professional photographer

·         Name tags

·         Handel will be proud!

Last year Elaine Smith Stevenson volunteered to sponsor the “after-glow” at “the Barn” (the old Seafood Shack) and picked up the tab.  In fairness to her, I have asked her not to do it again, anticipating that, perhaps, a few alumni could make plans, either there again, or at someone’s home.  If someone wants to step up to the plate, be our guest.  Critical choice should be proximity to church to make travel easier.  That part of the evening last year was as much fun as the sing-in itself.  Steve Curtis has a link on the web site for photos from last year.

Let’s hope that the weather is more cooperative this year!  We will probably be sending a few more updates over the next few weeks.  In the meantime, I wish you all a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving. 

Bud Beavers

PS  There are so many alumni that the list had to be condensed into Groups so the internet provider did not recognize it as spam.  Therefore, your address list only shows a small percentage of the alumni contacts.  Take care!

2008 Update

2008 UPDATE

 

Please excuse us for the delay in offering more current information on our website.  Several factors have contributed to this; the details are unimportant, however, please be assured we are now running full speed.  December 20^th, 2008 will mark the second annual North Jersey Messiah sing-in at Bethlehem Church.  Last year approximately 150 voices participated in the inaugural sing-in.  It was a great evening, complicated somewhat by uncertain weather.  Those who were able to brave the snow and ice enjoyed a fun evening of singing and fellowship. 

Once again this year, students from area high schools will be singing many of the arias, and guest conductors from the area will share their musical interpretation of various choruses.  As of 11/20/08 the following conductors will be participating: Bill Briggs, Doug Beavers and Bud Beavers.  We are in the process of securing at least three other conductors.  As they commit to the evening, we will update our site. 

Due to our relatively late start on this year, we will not be able to sing with an orchestra (perhaps next year).  We are again fortunate to enjoy the services of Dr. John Girvin as the piano accompanist.  Soon we will be able to announce our organist.

Some participants have indicated difficulty registering on line.  Our site has been modified to reflect “2008 Registration”.   Again, we are asking for a nominal donation of $10, collected at the door, to offset expenses associated with the sing-in.  The remainder will be given to support juvenile diabetes research.

We encourage you to sign our 2008 Guest Book (on this site).  That area of our site has been most valuable in connecting various schools’ alumni, and has given others a good indication of the enjoyment that can be anticipated.  Last year, the thirteen Roxbury HS alumni who were present at the first high school performance in 1972, were able to reunite, sing together again, and enjoy some social time at a local restaurant after the sing-in.  Perhaps some plans for this year can be developed among the many alumni planning to attend from area high schools, including, Roxbury, Mendham, Dover, Randolph, West Morris, Morris Hills, Morris Knolls, Hackettstown, the Parsippany’s, Hanover, Whippany Park, and Newton (many part of the former Iron Area Conference).

This year we are anticipating that those singing in the December 7^th (4PM) performance at the First Memorial Presbyterian Church (FMPC) in Dover will join us, in addition to the Sussex Oratorio Society, congregation members from Bethlehem, Mt. Fern Methodist, and other local churches familiar with the Messiah, as well as students from the County College of Morris.  The resulting performance should be terrific!  If you are interested in joining the Dover performance you must attend a mandatory rehearsal on November 30^th at 3PM at the FMPC.  For more information contact Kathy Burke at kathleenburke@optonline.net

We are planning to again make a CD thanks to the efforts of Gill LeDuc and Steve Curtis. Professional photographs will also be taken courtesy of Gary Van Schaick.  We have approximately 200 email addresses for Roxbury Choir Alumni, and over 100 from last year’s attendees.  They will all be contacted via email and reminded of the Sing-In.  If you are aware of exceptional high school soloists, please have them contact us for more information.  They will be expected to attend an evening rehearsal for soloists on December 17^th. We are again looking forward to another exciting evening of singing!

 

Bud and Bill

listen to selections from 2007 Sing - In

Use the media player to hear some of the music from the 2007 Messiah Sing-in.  CD's are on order and should be in soon.  If you have not ordered a CD yet, you can do so by contacting any of the organizers.

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