Get to know The Messiah Community Chorus

The annual Handel's Messiah Concert has been presented by the Messiah Community Chorus each December for over 50 years. It has become a holiday tradition within the town attracting an audience of over 250 people from Southborough and surrounding towns. The chorus of approximately 40-50 is made up of volunteer vocalists from all over the greater Metrowest area. Other performers include a 20-piece orchestra and 4 soloists. The conductor this year will be Grace Choi. The concert is performed in the Pilgrim Congregational Church sanctuary followed by a reception in the Pilgrim Congregational Church Fellowship Hall.

Meet the 2025 Director - Grace Choi

As a composer, her work has been premiered by the Orchestre National De Lorraine, France, Ensembles in Paris, at Carnegie Hall, Seiji Ozawa Hall, Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, ISCM Festival, SUNY Stony Brook, Festival Fiati in Italy, Domaine Forget in Quebec, Kunst Merano in Italy, Contemporary Music Festival in Rome, Baltimore Composer’s Forum, New York New Music Ensemble, University of West Virginia, An Die Musik, New Music Brandeis, Festival of Women Composers, Bernstein Festival, Midwest Graduate Music Consortium at University of Chicago, California State University, June in Buffalo NY, SCI National Conference at University of North Carolina, SUNY Geneseo, University of Iowa, Ars Viva Concert in Maryland, Sounds New Concerts in San Francisco, New England Conservatory, Bowdoin International Music Festival in Maine.

She was a composition fellow at Tanglewood Music Center (Margaret Lee Crofts Fellowship), Acanthes, Paris (five times), Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Germany (full fellowship), Wellesley Conference (Christoph and Stephan Kaske Fellowship), and Djerassi Arts Program in San Francisco (Gerald Oshita fellowship).

She won the ASCAP/SCI first prize, Grand Prize of the Contemporary Music Society of Seoul, Virginia Carty delillo Prize from Peabody Conservatory, and the National Association of Composers USA.

She received a full scholarship and fellowship in Ph.D. from Brandeis University and Peabody Conservatory, and received certificates from Acanthes/Ircam Paris.

As a conductor, she conducted choruses, bands, and orchestras in Atlanta, Virginia, Nevada, Indiana, New York among others. She studied choral conducting with Dr. Harold Rosenbaum at New York Virtuoso Singers and Prof. Marguerite Brooks at Yale University. She has been teaching Composition and Musicianship at Suzuki Music School and Northeastern University for 10 years.

Our History

Over 50 years ago Allen first brought Handel’s Messiah to Pilgrim Church. As organist and choir director, he wanted to offer the community an opportunity to experience the splendor of Handel’s Messiah with full orchestra, choir and soloists there in the church’s sanctuary. He felt strongly that the experience was about making and enjoying glorious music together. Each year he would regale the audience before the first stroke of the concertmaster’s bow with a story, a joke or even a little tidbit of musical history to pique the listeners’ attention and beckon them to sit back and enjoy the captivating musical narrative of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Allen’s family are elated that his vision has continued to this day and it is their sincere hope that The Messiah Community Chorus is able to continue this time-honored and beloved church tradition for many years to come.

Allen Langord - The Man That Started It All

Allen Langord: February 7, 1935 - March 19, 2015

The Erika Sisson Memorial Messiah Fund

Erika Sisson: April 13, 1935 - December 5, 2002 | Arthur Sisson: February 5, 1934 - March 6, 2007

Arthur and Erika Sisson were members of the Pilgrim Congregational Church choir in Southborough and sang in the very first concert under the direction of Allen Langord. They both noted that singing in the Messiah concert was the highlight of their singing careers. Upon Erika's passing in 2002, Arthur and his family established the Erika Sisson Memorial Messiah Fund. This fund has remained in place for over 20 years and acts as a safety net should fundraising for the concert event fall shy of what is required to put on the concert properly.

The Debbie Wilson Fund

Debbie Wilson: July 20, 1949 - February 16, 2021

Debbie was a long-time member of the Pilgrim Congregational Church choir in Southborough and sang alto in the annual Messiah Concert for many years. She was always a joy to watch singing, smiling all the while. Upon Debbie's

passing her husband David and children Sloan and Courtney, made a very generous contribution that will sponsor the hired Mezzo Soprano soloist for this annual event for many years to come.