Dr. Andrea Runnels rehearses the Grand Symphony Chorus for Handel’s Messiah at the next Symphony of the Hills concert.
Nov 14, 2022
The return of the Grand Chorus for the Symphony of the Hills Christmas concert will breathe life into the community, according to director Andrea Runnels.
“After two years off for something that was stealing people’s breath away, there is nothing like creating music together,” Runnels said. “We are literally breathing together. It is the breath of God, the breath of life given by Our Creator. There is nothing on earth like it.”
The Grand Symphony Chorus, made up of singers from area churches and choirs, will join the Symphony on Dec 1 to perform Handel’s Messiah at the Cailloux Theater.
Runnels, who is Coordinator of Choirs for Schreiner University, has built a career in connecting schools and communities to perform such major works “they ordinarily could not accomplish by themselves.”
“Music is not for some pedestal musician or some elitist organization,” Runnels said. “Anyone who can hear, can sing. If you want to do it, you can do it.”
Runnels holds a Bachelors of Choral Music Education from Texas Christian University and a Masters and Ph.D. in Choral Music Education and Fine Arts from Texas Tech University. She has taught elementary and secondary music, choral conducting for schools and churches.
While traditional holiday pieces risk abuse from overuse, Runnels never tires of performing the Messiah. That is because every year it becomes new to her.
“I don’t get tired of it,” she explained. “Doing music is very much like reading scripture. While I may hear something at age 5 and get one interpretation, 30 years on I hear it differently. It’s the same with Messiah. I’ve heard it all my life, but every group is different, every voice is unique as a snowflake. The combination of people together creates different music and a different spirit.”
That spirit will be even higher for this concert.
“I want this to be a good comeback concert,” she said. “After covid, we get to say, ‘No more!’ It’s time to move forward. I really want this to be a hopeful resurgence of the arts, especially choral music in this part of Texas.”
The Christmas concert highlights the “importance of community.”
“No one should be in isolation,” she said. “One of my students told me that sacred music is her very favorite. Why, I asked. She said, became my spirit is joining other spirits and we are all praising God. We are all joining in community. We are all creating heaven on earth.”
For Runnels, the special gift of song is that this music comes from inside.
“We are not attaching it to an instrument. It is the instrument God gave you, coming together.”
The Symphony of the Hills will present The Miracle of Christmas on December 1, 2022, at 7:30 pm at the Cailloux Theater in Kerrville. A Wine Reception precedes the concert from 6:30–7:30 pm in the theater lobby.
The 75-piece orchestra will perform:
Broughton/Arr. Vinson – Miracle on 34th Street Overture
Silvestri – A Christmas Carol (Main Title)
Hinds – A Children’s Hannukah
Christmas Carol Sing-Along
The Grand Symphony Chorus joins the orchestra to perform:
Handel’s Messiah (Part 1 and the Hallelujah Chorus)
Guest soloists:
Sarah Davis, soprano
Alexis Korbe, alto
Seth Lafler, tenor
Christopher Besch, bass
Seats can be reserved online at caillouxperformingarts.com or by calling or visiting the Cailloux Theater Box Office, (830) 896-9393.
Details on all concerts, along with ticket information, can be found at www.symphonyofthehills.org, via email at info@symphonyofthehills.org, or by calling 830-792-7469.
