Sing-it-Yourself Messiah in Kihei Maui

Last Sunday we attended the 11th Anniversary presentation of the Sing-it-Yourself Messiah, hosted by The Maui Choral Arts Association under the direction of the very talented Celia Canty. This is an annual event for us and we were very happy that this year it was held in Kihei just a stone's throw from our Maui home.
As we entered the Kihei Baptist Chapel we saw signs designating the seating for each section. I made a beeline for the altos, while Les settled in with the basses. Members of the Maui Concert Chorus wore a sparkly lei and were spread out amongst us visitors for support.

The choruses were accompanied by a 12 piece Baroque style chamber orchestra comprised of local musicians and guest Martin Berinbaum from Canada, who thrilled us all with his trumpet and piccolo trumpet accompaniment to soloist Robert Wills' exceptional performance of "The Trumpet Shall Sound".

What a combination they made!!! Robert Wills has an amazing range and his powerful voice was a pleasure to hear as he sang both tenor and baritone solos. Soprano Lisa Paulson, and alto Karyn Sarring held their own as they tackled the very difficult and lengthy runs that the music offers.

It is always a treat to witness the energy that radiates from Celia Canty as she skillfully and interchangeably conducts the audience, orchestra, soloists, and choruses.

Other guests were the UH Maui College Chorus and the Suzuki - Maui students under the direction of Teresa Skinner. The Suzuki students were delightful as they performed carols in the lobby during intermission and also joined the orchestra to accompany the finale of the Hallelujah Chorus. I get goose bumps each time I am part of this amazing piece of music and this year was no exception right down to the last Hallelujah!

As always this uplifting experience was a glorious way of getting us into the Christmas spirit.
During the second half of the program the Maui Concert Chorus joined by the University of Hawaii - Maui College chorus, gave us a little taste of their upcoming Symphony of Carols concert, as they sang the lively calypso-carol "The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy" This concert will also be held at the Kihei Baptist Church on Saturday December 10th at 7 PM. Tickets can be purchased at the Maui Choral Arts Website or by phone 800-838-3006. They can also be obtained at the Topaz Goldsmith in Dolphin Plaza, Kihei.

MCAA is a non profit organization and they welcome any donations to enable them to keep providing such high quality entertainment on Maui. Visit the webiste of Maui Choral Arts Associaton for more information.