Westchester Oratorio Society Performs 'Messiah' at Mt. Kisco Presbyterian Church

On Sunday evening, the Westchester Oratorio Society and the Rebel Baroque Orchestra performed a rendition of George Frideric Handel's Messiah at the Presbyterian Church of Mount Kisco. It was one of the first renditions of this masterpiece for the 2010 yuletide season.

The church provided a majestic setting for the concert. The singers and orchestra members were nestled beneath a gleaming organ. When an encore of the Hallelujah chorus was added at the end, audience members joined in.

There were many members of the audience had come initially to support their friends, and after a few bars of music, many were enthralled.

"They sound amazing," said Kristian Leno. "It's a wonderful evening out."

Jeff Vreeland, who attended with his wife Ginny, said that they have been coming to the Society's concerts "since its inception." "We tend to come to whatever they're doing," he said.

Christine Appleman compared this evening's performance to others she had attended. This is a "100-percent improvement with the live orchestra," she said, also noting that it adds more depth.

The collaboration between the society and Rebel began when the groups performed together at a fundraising gala for the society called Baroque and Beyond. The concert also included performances by four highly accomplished soloists, including Raymond Diaz, who is a student at Purchase College.

"Everybody was so taken with them," recalled Alto Joy Travalino."Everybody loved the performance at the gala."

The Katonah-based society is currently comprised of approximately 65 members and is open to all who wish to participate.

Tenor Lisa Silver-Frankel sees many benefits to being a member. "For me it's a singing outlet. It gives me a chance to connect with my community and entertain my community." Her daughter, Irina, a student at John Jay High School, performed her first solo in front of a large audience.

The origin of the baroque orchestra's name reveals its raison d'être. Its namesake is the French Baroque composer Jean-Féry Rebel. Rebel is pronounced Re-BEL, as was the composer's name.

The group's signature sound is derived from its period instruments.

"The gentler sound of the gut strings led by Jörg -Michael Schwartz and the sound of the two-keyed oboes and the trumpets [sans valves] blend with their voices to create a historically informed performance," principal oboist Sarah Davol noted. Risa Browder, a member of orchestra, played a Jakob Stainer violin from 1641.

Rebel has played with many notable artists including Renee Fleming. In 1999, the orchestra won an artists' residence at National Public Radio, according to the group's website.