YouTube contest helps Tafelmusik put the 'me' in Messiah

You, too, can sound your trumpet, feed your flock like a shepherd, purify like a refiner's fire. And you don't have to worry about being despised, or rejected.

In fact, you can win a few, fleeting ticks of spotlight time.

All you need to do is post a 90-second audition clip of your favourite sung or instrumental passage from Handel's Messiah in Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra's latest try at pitching 250-year-old music over the Internet.

Yesterday, the Toronto-based period-instrument announced a contest over its YouTube channel. Entries are being accepted until Dec. 12. Conductor Ivars Taurins will select four top clips on Dec. 14. The "best overall performance" prizewinner will, among other goodies, get to appear on stage at Massey Hall for Tafelmusik's annual singalong Messiah on Dec. 20.

One of the fun things about hosting a singalong Messiah in such a large concert hall is that no one needs to be self-conscious about what they sound like, or if they miss a few dozen notes from "His Yoke is Easy" (His yoke may be easy, but your burden of notes is great). So, to ask for solo (or family) auditions strikes me as going directly against the comforts of musical anonymity.

Not that I won't be checking out the videos to witness the fearless, the talented, and the shameless.

For all the details, click here.

To inspire you, here are Manhattan-based vocal siblings The Roches singing their a cappella trio rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus" way back in 1982. It's amazingly good.

Comments

[science of music]

Thanks for the post. Agreed with you.
Regards