by Christy Rodriguez de Conte

Florida State University’s Chamber Choir, featuring artist and scholar Annika Stucky and many other talented members along with the Tallahassee Community Chorus Orchestra, resurrect a holiday classic with their latest presentation on Dec. 2 of Handel’s “Messiah,” which follows the life and death of Jesus Christ.

“I’m a nerd,” declares Stucky, reflecting upon the connection she feels when performing and studying Baroque composers like Bach and Handel.

Luckily the combination of nerd and artist leads to the birth of some mad creators. With that in mind, we start with a bit of history.

In the fall of 1741, tucked away, writing day and night against the withering wick, German composer George Handel wrote the now iconic “Messiah.”

It premiered in London as an Easter performance the following year intertwined with epic echoes of “Hallelujah” that have become a holiday staple today. The intimacy found in Handel’s work helped to create a new genre of oratorios that drifted away from plot-driven operas to the looseness of the narrative and solo-focused music in the Messiah. 

Traditionally the messiah has been performed multiple times in a plethora of configurations within large 500-people choirs and parades. However, Stucky is experiencing a very different approach as a member of Florida State University’s Chamber Choir.

“It’s huge. It’s a long, long work. Cover to cover, it is about three and a half hours. Chamber Choir is not doing it cover to cover,” Stucky said.

She admits the allure of the production relies on its small yet mighty chorus. “There is something really special about the way we are going to be doing it with 30-something people and a small chamber orchestra that can really get at the nuance of something that is really familiar to a lot of people but can then be really elevated into something special.”

Chamber Choir, under the direction of Dr. Michael Hanawalt, uses the voices of  32-44 graduate and undergraduate students and FSU faculty and staff. The Chamber Choir serves as the masters work ensemble. It consistently takes on larger works like the “Messiah” and newer works like “Considering Matthew Shepard.”

Read the rest of the article on the Tallahassee Democrat.

Read more about the event on December 2, 2022.