36th Performance of Branford Messiah

BRANFORD, CONN. – December 10, 2025 – Celebrate the holidays with one of

Branford’s and classical music’s most beloved traditions. Branford Messiah, now in

its 36th year, will perform Part I of Handel’s Messiah on Sunday afternoon,

December 21st at 5:00 PM in the First Congregational Church on the Branford Green.

Under the baton of conductor Roy Wiseman, a professional chamber orchestra and

professional soloists join over 35 community singers to share the joy of the season

in this beautiful and festive space. This wonderful musical experience, launched in

1986 by Ettie Minor Luckey, is for the whole family, and Branford Messiah continues

to gift this highlight of the holiday season to the community, free of charge, as Ettie

intended. (We do collect a free-will offering at the door.)

Lielle Berman & Alex O'Neill

Soloists for this performance will be Lielle Berman, soprano; Rebecca Ringle

Kamarei, mezzo soprano; Alex O’Neil, tenor; and Chancelor Barabee, baritone.

For more information, visit branfordmessiah.org.

Roy Wiseman is a conductor who has premiered dozens of works by American

composers; he has conducted at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival,

the Kennedy Center, the Oregon Festival of American Music, the Goodspeed Opera

House, the Yale Center for British Art, and the Palace Theater (New Haven). He

currently serves as Conductor of the Wesleyan University Orchestra, and is the

founder and Artistic Director of both New World Consort, a chamber ensemble that

specializes in American music, and Elite Syncopation, a ragtime/early jazz ensemble

that tours nationally.

Rebecca Ringle Kamarei

Dr. Wiseman has also served as Music Advisor to Garrison Keillor's NPR program,

recording annotator for the Musical Heritage Society, and lecturer in Wesleyan's

Graduate Liberal Studies Program. He serves on the music faculties of Wesleyan

University, Central Connecticut State University, and the Educational Center for the

Arts (ECA, New Haven).

Educated at Bennington College, the Yale School of Music, and the State University of

New York at Stony Brook, Dr. Wiseman is especially please to be conducting

Handel's Messiah, the subject of his doctoral thesis, in Branford again this season.

Come and enjoy the beauty of this masterpiece and the spirit of the season.

The concert is free of charge and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors

open at 4:30; trumpet holiday carols start at 4:40.

First Congregational Church, 1009 Main Street, Branford CT 06405.