Singers invited to join Messiah concert.
The El Dorado Chorale has announced Dr. David DeSeguirant as the conductor/ artistic director for their holiday performance of Handel’s Messiah. DeSeguirant has been the El Dorado Chorale’s guest conductor for many years, and continually brings fresh ideas for the singers to enjoy.
“I would like to extend an invitation to anyone who participated in their high school, college or church choir to join the
EDC on Monday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m. beginning Oct. 2, at the
EHS Choral Room, 2000 Wildcat Drive, in El Dorado,” DeSeguirant said.
“When I was much younger, I fell in love with ‘Messiah,’ especially the Christmas portion,” he said. “I suppose the Mormon Tabernacle Choir recording that was played every Christmas on our Bay Area radio station caused me to associate Handel’s music with all of the trappings of the Christ mas season at our home.”
DeSeguirant said he recalls reading the story of how the oratorio was composed in two weeks and only learning much later that many musical elements had been taken from Handel’s operas.
“Handel was a true entrepreneur and marketer of his art, and those present in the audience during performances of ‘Messiah’ may very well have had numerous dèjá vu moments as familiar melodies were presentd in a very different context,” DeSeguirant said.
He said the chorale has featured the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah in odd-numbered years since 1990, but always tries to find ways to present it in a way that makes the singers experience it differently than in years past.
“We have ample resources to assist those who have never performed ‘Messiah,’ and as a staple of choral repertoire, every singer should have a performance on their ‘to do’ list,” DeSeguirant said. “Of course, we welcome all of our experienced singers back, and I know they will be very happy to have new singers join us for this event. Please consider this my personal invitation to you to join the El Dorado Chorale as we prepare to embrace the Christmas season again in El Dorado.”
He is the director of choral activities at Southern Arkansas University where he conducts the Heritage Singers and the Chamber Singers. He completed his bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition at Oklahoma Baptist University in 1986, where he studied conducting with the late James D. Woodward and Dr. Michael Cox.
In 1987 he began his graduate studies at The University of Oklahoma under Dr. Dennis Shrock, Professor Emeritus of Music, earning a master’s degree in choral conducting (1989) and doctor of musical arts in conducting (1994). He served as the assistant conductor of Oklahoma City-based Canterbury Choral Society and the University of Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra.
He has been an active church musician, the vocal music director of Ada Public Schools in Ada, Oklahoma, and director of choral activities at the University of the Ozarks (1996-2005) and Oklahoma Baptist University (2005-2010). He has been an active clinician for numerous high school choirs and regional honor choirs throughout Oklahoma and Arkansas. DeSeguirant, along with his wife, Malea, and his son Matthew, reside in Magnolia.