Handel’s Messiah Concert Fundraiser
A major fundraising choral concert
on Saturday 6 December
that will help change young lives across the county
More than 140 singers and musicians will raise the roof, as well as funds, at Worcester Cathedral on Saturday 6 December in a candlelit performance of classical choral favourite, Handel’s Messiah.
The inaugural benefit concert is being organised by the region’s leading large classical choir, Worcester Festival Choral Society, which has partnered with grantmaking charity the Worcestershire Community Foundation and Worcester Cathedral in what it hopes will be the beginning of a new fundraising tradition for the county.
The aim is to build on the choral society’s annual Messiah performance by raising a significant amount of money for grants to local children’s and young people’s good causes made via the Community Foundation. Key to this will be charitable donations received from companies. Several such ‘Gold Patrons’ have already confirmed their support, with more being sought. Music lovers are also being invited to make a voluntary charitable donation to the Foundation when they buy their concert tickets, or separately via a JustGiving page.
The idea to raise funds through the power of music came from the composer George Frideric Handel himself. Choral Society Development Officer, Anne Renshaw explained:
“Everyone loves Handel’s Messiah, but few people know it’s been doing good in society for nearly 300 years! Handel made sure that all of his own Messiah performances raised money to help babies and children. This led to the world’s first purpose-built maternity hospital and London’s Foundling Hospital being built – both huge steps forward health and wellbeing at the time.
“We at Worcester Festival Choral Society want to continue Handel’s charitable legacy here in Worcester, by raising funds for local young people’s causes through our long-established annual Messiah performance.”
Messiah is one of the world’s most popular choral works. When King George II attended its premiere in 1742, he is said to have been so moved by the mighty Hallelujah chorus that he rose to his feet – a tradition that audiences continue today. The oratorio is also packed with other well-known arias and choruses such as For unto us a child is born, All we like sheep and The trumpets shall sound. Performing with Worcester Festival Choral Society will be four, nationally acclaimed soloists: soprano Amy Carson, mezzo soprano Frances Gregory, tenor Simon Wall and bass baritone Tim Dickinson. The Meridian Sinfonia Baroque orchestra accompanies. They are all under the baton of Worcester Cathedral’s director of music, Samuel Hudson.
WCF Chair, Jonathan Chenevix-Trench commented:
“Worcestershire Community Foundation is delighted to be partnering with Worcester Festival Choral Society on this initiative. To be their charity partner for such a wonderful event is a great honour for us, and we look forward very much to working with their team. Our values of supporting Worcestershire to thrive by bringing communities together very much reflect the aims of the choral society. Through this joyous performance and its historical links with fundraising, we hope to spread the word about our work and our need to encourage support to make the county more resilient.”
Anne Renshaw added:
“It will be wonderful to use the power of music to make a difference to our community this Christmas. Hopefully this will be the start of an exciting new fundraising tradition in Worcester!”
For concert tickets and optional donation opportunities, visit www.wfcs.online or call TicketSource on 0333 666 3366 (local call rate).
Corporate donors are invited to contact Anne Renshaw at [email protected].
Charitable donations can also be made via the Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/wcf-wcfsmessiah.
