Tucson sing-along event expected to draw over 1,000 vocalists

Who would have thought that a little community holiday sing-along in 1977 to save Tucson’s Temple of Music and Art would become an enduring Tucson holiday tradition?

For the past 46 years, hundreds of Tucsonans have joined the choir to sing the famous “Hallelujah” chorus from Handel’s oratorio “Messiah.”

On Monday, Nov. 27, organizers are anticipating a full house for the 47th Messiah Sing-In Tucson, featuring an orchestra conducted by Sean Bresemann and soloists Kimberly Chaffin, Diana Peralta, Michael Chaffin and Francisco Rentería. The event starts at 7 p.m. at Christ Community Church, 530 S. Pantano Road.

The highlight of Handel’s masterwork is that glorious “Hallelujah” chorus at the end. Orchestras worldwide bring in behemoth choirs, sometimes numbering well into the hundreds to accentuate the magnificence of that single word sung over and over and over again.

Presented by Tucson Sing-In, the annual holiday event has been known to attract 1,200-plus choristers whose voices fill the space at Christ Community Church, the event’s home since 2014.

There’s no charge to participate, although donations are accepted. If you want to follow a score, you can buy or rent one for $15 cash or check. You’ll get $5 back if you return it.

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For more information, visit tucsonsingin.org.

Tucson Sing-In is hosting the first “Messiah” of the holiday season, but not the only one.

True Concord Voices & Orchestra will include excerpts from “Messiah” for its annual “Lessons & Carols By Candlelight” holiday concert Dec. 7-10. For tickets and details, visit trueconcord.org.

Tucson Symphony Orchestra and TSO Chorus, with guest conductor Katharina Wincor, will perform selections from “Messiah” on a program of Baroque favorites Dec. 16-17. For tickets and details, visit tucsonsymphony.org.