The same group that did the Messiah the previous year asked me to sing with them again. Some singers make a decent living specializing in oratorio work. I just like doing fully staged works better. But a job is a job. This time Steve Fiol sang the bass solos. Great voice and a good mentor and friend.
In December 1990 I did my first Messiah gig as the tenor soloist. I remember getting the melismatic passages in "Every Valley" in one breath had been one of my challenges in addition to the higher tessitura. It was fun to sing with some of the other Millikin faculty members, particularly Liz Barnabe and Hadi Gibbons. If I recall correctly, I think Keith Levell was a student.
My senior year at Luther I auditioned and got one of the bass solos for the Messiah. I believe it was "Thou Art Gone Up on High." So much fun getting to perform with such a huge orchestra and chorus.
