Sing Handel’s Messiah With the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus in Encinitas
Handel’s “Messiah” turns up all over San Diego once the holidays hit. The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus version is the one that hands the music to you.
“Joy! Messiah Community Sing” puts the orchestra, the chorus, and a room full of singers in the same space at San Dieguito United Methodist Church in Encinitas. Arian Khaefi, the group’s music director and choral conductor, leads all of it.
Grouped by Voice, Not by Row
Seating is open at this off-campus venue, so there is no assigned seat to track down. You get grouped by voice type instead, which means you spend the whole thing surrounded by people singing your part.
That setup does a lot of work if you are rusty. Nobody is hunting for their note alone.
Rent a Score, or Bring the One You Own
Scores are available to rent on site, so showing up empty-handed is fine. If you already own a copy, any edition works.
The ensemble sings from the Schirmer edition, which is the one to grab if you want your page numbers to match everyone else’s.
The Auction Bid That Won a Podium
Olivia Romero steps up as guest conductor from the community. She won the chance to lead the orchestra and chorus at the LJS&C fundraiser auction last year, and she is cashing it in here.
Everything Builds to “Hallelujah”
The program runs through music from Handel’s oratorio and lands where these things always land, on the “Hallelujah” chorus. Hearing it is one thing. Being one of the voices in it is another.
This is an annual tradition for the group, and the pull is less about polish than about the sound of a full room committing to the same notes at once.
See you there!
Bring whatever voice you have, trained or borrowed, and let the room carry the rest. Handel wrote this for everyone, and few things sound better than San Diego proving it.
📆 Saturday, November 28 | 2 PM
📍 170 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas
🎟️ Lock in your spot here
ℹ️ Dive into the details here
See you there, San Diego!
