The Grammy Award-winning UMS Choral Union (2006 Best Choral Performance for William Bolcom’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience) launches the holiday season with its signature work, Handel’s glorious oratorio, Messiah, conducted by Jerry Blackstone (left).

An Ann Arbor tradition in the beautiful surroundings of Hill Auditorium, these performances at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5 are ultimately the heart and soul of UMS, connecting audiences with the talented people on stage, but also with the friends and family who attend each year.

Those who have been coming for decades say that the chorus has never sounded better. And this year’s soloists all have strong ties to Michigan: three of the four (Caitlin Lynch, Nicholas Phan, and Jesse Blumberg) are U-M alumni (Phan also grew up in Ann Arbor), and Meredith Arwady is a Michigan native who currently resides in Kalamazoo.

For ticket information, please visit UMS’ HANEL’S MESSIAH.

Handel’s Messiah

Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra

UMS Choral Union

Jerry Blackstone, conductor

Caitlin Lynch, soprano

Meredith Arwady, contralto

Nicholas Phan, tenor

Jesse Blumberg, baritone

Edward Parmentier, harpsichord

Saturday, December 4 | 8 pm

Sunday, December 5 | 2 pm

Hill Auditorium