Jax State Choirs to Present Handel's Messiah at Randy Owen Center on Nov. 6 

10/30/2026

Civic Chorale and A Cappella Choir will join guest soloists for performance of the celebrated classical work  

By Brett Buckner

One of the most celebrated works in the history of classical music will fill Jacksonville State University's Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts (ROC) on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m., when the University's Civic Chorale and A Cappella Choir join forces to present George Frideric Handel's Messiah. 

Tickets are $20 with discounts for Jax State students, faculty and staff. They are still available for the performance and can be purchased through the Jax State ticketing website. 

Joining the combined ensembles will be four distinguished guest soloists - soprano Megan Sapleton, mezzo-soprano Judy Shealy, tenor Eric Wilcox and baritone Timothy Renner- all under the direction of Dr. Eliezer Yanson Jr. Shealy and Wilcox are Jax State alumni, adding a special homecoming element to the production.  

“I couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with our outstanding guest soloists,” Dr. Yanson said. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with these talented singers.” 

The concert marks Yanson's sixth time conducting Messiah, a work he intentionally programs only once every four years. 

Composed in 1741 and first performed in 1742, Messiah is among the most recognizable works in Western music. Handel's masterpiece is an oratorio, a large-scale musical composition for choir, soloists and orchestra, traditionally performed without costumes, scenery or theatrical staging. 

“Handel’s Messiah tells the story of Jesus Christ, the Anointed One,” Dr. Yanson said. “It traces His story from the prophecies of His coming and His birth to His death, burial, resurrection, and eternal reign.”  

While generations of performers have interpreted the work, its power continues to resonate with musicians and audiences alike. Few people understand that legacy better than Dr. Susie Francis Dempsey, Jax State professor emerita, who has sung in the Civic Chorale for more than two decades alongside her late husband, Wayne. Throughout a lifetime devoted to music, she has encountered Messiah from multiple perspectives as a pianist, educator and singer. 

 “I even taught the bass parts to my dad when I was a budding pianist in high school,” Dempsey said, “so I know and love the Handel composition as part of my life as a chorister and pianist.” 

For Dempsey, this year's performance carries added significance because it will take place in the Randy Owen Center, providing a new setting for a work that has been part of her musical life for decades.  

“It is especially meaningful to perform it in the ROC,” Dempsey said. “To finally have a large concert hall on campus has been a lifelong dream for JSU, and to present the famous masterwork, Messiah, on that stage will likely be a peak experience.” 

Though beloved by audiences, Messiah is known among singers as a demanding work requiring precision, stamina and musical maturity. 

“This oratorio demands perfect diction, energetic rhythm and emotional expression because Handel’s clever word painting - tone painting - directly mimics the meaning and shape of the Scriptural lyrics found in Handel’s setting of prophecy, birth, death and resurrection of Christ,” Dempsey said. “It demands hours of practice and rehearsal time to bring two experienced choirs to sing correctly together a difficult Baroque masterpiece.” 

Dempsey credits Yanson's leadership and musical insight for preparing the ensembles to meet those challenges.  

“We are so very fortunate to experience singing under his direction,” she said, “and to share this monumental work at this time of year just before Advent and Christmas seasons.” 

For students in the A Cappella Choir, the performance offers an opportunity to take on one of classical music's most challenging and recognizable works while sharing the stage with accomplished guest musicians. 

Among the student performers is Silas Tankersley, graduate assistant to Yanson and a member of the A Cappella Choir. Although familiar with Handel's masterpiece, this will be Tankersley's first opportunity to perform it.  

“This will be a special opportunity for me because it is my last year in A Cappella Choir,” Tankersley said. “Being able to share this as a first-time experience with many of my peers will be a cherished memory.”  

Tankersley believes the work's enduring popularity speaks to its universal appeal and artistic brilliance.  

“Handel’s Messiah is simply timeless,” he said. “Ever since it was first performed in 1742, it has resonated with people through its creativity. I think that speaks to all people from many different time periods.”  

Like many singers tackling the work for the first time, Tankersley discovered that mastering the score requires discipline and attention to detail. He credits Yanson with helping students develop the techniques needed to perform the Baroque composition.  

“It has been difficult to master,” he said. “Dr. Yanson has done a brilliant job of shaping us, tips and tricks for how to shape certain phrases, how to sing melismas, and techniques that would need to be employed for something from the Baroque musical period. 

“I think people will be pleased to hear the work that's gone into it.” 

The performance will also provide the choirs with an opportunity to collaborate alongside accomplished professional musicians. 

“Situations like this encourage teamwork, expression, and balance when working with soloists,” he said. “There is a distinct and delicate relationship between the director, the soloists, the choir, and the orchestra. We rely on each other to get the job done.”