Submitted Photo Handel’s “Messiah,” directed by Dr. Emerson Eads, will be presented Sunday in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall at Minot State University.

This year’s performance in the Minot community of Handel’s “Messiah” will take place Sunday at 4 p.m. in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall on the Minot State University campus, according to MSU information.

The concert is free and open to the public, with free-will offerings collected by MSU students raising funds for scholarships at MSU.

Soloists for this year’s performance include students Christina Larsen, Megan Kramer, Kylee Cook, Ethan Pedersen, Evan Putt and Eric Furuseth, MSU associate professor of English. Alongside these soloists, the participation of volunteer singers has increased.

“This year’s ‘Messiah’ will feature a few added choruses and an accompanied tenor recitative from the second part of the oratorio that are some of my favorites. The rehearsals have been an absolute joy. Watching singers who performed this with Strohm, Nelson, or Hegstad standing alongside my students and members of the Minot community — each of us raising our voices together — is, without a doubt, one of the most thrilling and democratic experiences I can think of,” said Dr. Emerson Eads, MSU assistant professor of music and director of choral activities. “Reflecting on my own memories of learning this music as a young lad and the people I stood next to makes all the work behind organizing and preparing this concert truly worthwhile.

“Ultimately, we’re doing this for our love of this incredible music and for the benefit of the students at Minot State University.”

Handel’s “Messiah” has been presented in Minot for many years.

According to The Minot Daily News files, the late E.S. Person, an early Minot resident, was instrumental in starting a production of “The Messiah” with the Minot Choral Club in 1908. The annual performance was held for about 20 years at the Jacobson Opera House, once located on Central Avenue and Main Street. The first presentation of “The Messiah” at present-day Minot State University was given on a Thursday evening, Dec. 19, 1929, by the 140-voice combined men’s and ladies’ glee clubs.

With the exception of the 1967 blizzard and 2020 COVID-19 restrictions, the “Messiah” has been a fixture of the Minot holiday season for almost a century.

Eads reflected on all who have contributed to this long-standing tradition.

“None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of our community’s choral organizations, gifted orchestral musicians, and the remarkable directors who have shaped this tradition over the years — John Strohm, Wayne Nelson, Joe Hegstad, Gary Walth, Mark Schnabel, Bob Demke, and Kenneth Bowles,” Eads said. “This musical performance is a legacy we all hold dear. We invite you to join us in celebrating this treasured tradition, which transcends time and lives on in the hearts of the musicians who carry it forward. Your support ensures that this beloved tradition will continue to shine for generations to come.”

In response to the increase in demand for musicians’ time and the challenge of assembling an orchestra capable of performing “Messiah,” MSU’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts has partnered with the MSU Development Foundation to create the Messiah Endowment. The endowment will ensure that musicians are compensated for their work while keeping the concerts free for the community.

“The Messiah Endowment is our way of preserving this cherished tradition and ensuring it continues to enrich our community for years to come. This performance is more than a holiday favorite — it’s an incredible educational experience for Minot State music students, offering them the chance to study and perform one of the most iconic works in classical music. By supporting the endowment, you help sustain this tradition and its impact,” said Abbie Eads, MSU Development Foundation development officer and data analyst. For information about gifting contact the foundation.