EDMOND—The Herbert W. Armstrong College choral union began two semesters of rehearsals on August 20, to prepare for the performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Armstrong Auditorium in April 2010.
One of the biggest challenges for choir members is learning the 2¼-hour oratorio, written in 1846, during 27 two-hour rehearsals. However, choir director Ryan Malone says he is “thrilled with the potential of this group. It’s a mix of people with great experience and talent,” and “people with oodles of talent who have never sung in a choir before. They are taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Well over 100 choir hopefuls auditioned on August 16 to determine whether they could sing in the choir and which part they would be best suited for. The size of the choir has increased significantly over previous years to 127 performers, boosting the group’s ability to perform the epic work in conjunction with an orchestral ensemble made up of local professionals.
The bulk of the choir comes from the Edmond, Okla., congregation, with a sizeable contribution from Herbert W. Armstrong College, and several from Imperial Academy.
After just three weeks of rehearsals, the choir performed special music, which was broadcast in the second satellite transmission during the 2009 Feast of Tabernacles.
The orchestra will be comprised of 50 instrumentalists, including 30 in the string section. Mr. Malone stated that the “string parts are monstrously difficult,” but he added that selecting the best performers in the city, and those who have performed the work before, would alleviate this challenge. The oratorio also includes eight solo parts, three of which will be filled by non-PCG professionals.
Oftentimes, such a large work is only performed in part. However, this performance will cover the work in its entirety, making it a more significant event on the Oklahoman arts calendar.
Of course, the significance for the Church extends beyond the music. “I think it is special that God’s people will be singing about a story that is very meaningful to them, more so than any other professional choir out there,” Mr. Malone said. “I believe it to have great significance for God’s people in the end time, since we are an extension and a continuation of the Elijah work. That makes understanding and singing about the great work God did through the original Elijah much more meaningful.”
