Handel 2 Hallelujah shows importance of connection and religion

On Palm Sunday (March 29), Dudley Birder Chorale will be joining the Civic Symphony of Green Bay in performing “Handel’s Messiah: Part 2” in a concert called Handel 2 Hallelujah. Two concerts will be performed at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Green Bay, one at 1:30 p.m. and another at 4:30 p.m. the same day.

“This is the first time that we’ve done part two of ‘Handel’s Messiah.’ ‘Handel’s Messiah’ is probably the most well-known and most performed piece of classical music for a choir or orchestra,” said Kent Paulsen, creative director for the Dudley Birder Chorale, which is currently in its 51st year after being started by Dudley Birder in 1974.

Part two contains pieces surrounding themes of Lent and Easter, which is why the groups are performing on Palm Sunday. The part ends with the “Hallelujah Chorus,” which is “probably the most famous piece of choir music that exists,” said Paulsen. He also stated that the piece is one of the performers’ favorites.
Religion is closely intertwined with music, as “our greatest traditions of choral music came from religious traditions,” said Palusen. “But one of the things that’s always been the hallmark of a choir is the ability to do music that is classical, that’s religious [and] that’s popular.”

For the chorale, religion is extremely important, as Paulsen explained.

“By being located at St. Norbert’s College, with a lot of St. Norbert’s faculty and staff and students and a lot of alumni in the group, we tend to be doing more of the religious music than some other community choirs might.”
Equally as important to music is community and connection, which these performances display through the collaboration of the Dudley Birder Chorale and Civic Symphony.

Paulsen argued that it is important, “For all the arts groups to realize that we’re not each other’s competitors, but we’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders and collaborators and supporters. There’s a great intrinsic benefit to making music together in a community. “The other thing is just the reality of the fact that, after COVID, so many arts groups were decimated, audiences were hesitant to return, funding wasn’t as available, so it helped us pivot to a new model — to say let’s get all the groups that do the same thing that we do and let’s collaborate,” continued Paulsen. “It’s amazing to put together over 200 local performers, all who love classical music, love performing together, love contributing to their community and love doing art. Joining together is a celebration and I think we need every bit of that in this community and in this world.”

Paulsen ended with a quote about the importance of connection: “Doing music and arts together is an antidote to loneliness.”

Tickets for the concert and more information are available at birderchorale.com.