Messiah Reunion Concert 2014

As a launch to the holiday season, alumni of Jonathan Dayton Regional High School's Choral Music Department will return to Springfield to perform Part I of Handel's Messiah on Saturday evening, November 29, 2014. Over the years, a number of former students have expressed the desire to revive the tradition of singing Handel's masterwork. At this time, planning is underway for a Messiah Reunion Concert 2014, led by former Dayton Choral Director Brenda Kay-Kucin and former history teacher Linda Duke, assisted by David Simon (JDRHS Class of 1987).

The Alumni Messiah Concert was an important part of the communities surrounding Jonathan Dayton Regional High School for over 25 years. The program began in 1972 under the direction of JDRHS Music Teacher Edward Shiley and was originally conceived as an alumni tradition for high school students and returning college students. Brenda Kay-Kucin continued the holiday musical tradition when she joined the Jonathan Dayton High School's faculty as its choral director in 1982. The concert was funded by the JDRHS Choral Parents Society and later by the Mountainside Music Association and was held at the Community Presbyterian Church. When demographic and political changes in the public school system changed the support structure for the alumni program, the concert expanded to include all singers in the
community who desired to sing. The Messiah Reunion Concert continued under Ms. Kucin's direction until December 2000.

The Springfield Board of Education and current administration of Jonathan Dayton High School have graciously offered use of the high school for rehearsal and the concert performance. The Watts Foundation of Mountainside has awarded a grant to cover orchestral and other expenses. With the exception of the professional orchestra that accompanies the choral forces in Handel's Messiah, all singers and friends working on this project will be volunteers. "Community support for this reunion has been most gratifying," said Ms. Kucin. "Even the parents of our now-adult students have enthusiastically volunteered to help with aspects of the program."

As in the past, singers who already know Handel's masterpiece will gather for rehearsal on the afternoon before the concert to fine tune the performance that will take place that same evening. Ms. Kucin has instructed her former students to prepare for the concert through internet practice websites that enable them to refresh or relearn their individual voice parts. Those interested in singing in the concert are required to register in advance by contacting Linda Duke at [email protected] The Messiah Reunion Concert will take place on Saturday, November 29, 2014 at 7:30pm in the Jonathan Dayton HS Auditorium, Springfield NJ.