Augustana Oratorio Society to perform Handel's 'Messiah'

The Augustana College Department of Music presents “Messiah,” on Feb. 22, 2026, at 3 p.m. in Centennial Hall.

George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” will be performed by the Augustana Oratorio Society, conducted by Dr. Jon Hurty, director of choral activities. Soloists are Michelle Areyzaga, soprano; Steven Soph, tenor; and Jessye Wright, mezzo soprano. A professional orchestra will accompany the performance.

“We are so excited to be presenting Handel’s ‘Messiah’ in February,” said Dr. Hurty. “We have an amazing lineup of soloists — all who have sung ‘Messiah’ here at Augustana in previous performances. The chorus has been rehearsing since early October, so will be in excellent shape for the performance. We are grateful to Kim and Donna Brunner for their generous support of the continued tradition of ‘Messiah’ at Augustana College.”

The Augustana Oratorio Society was formed in 1880, with its first concert being “Messiah” in 1881. The Augustana Oratorio Society currently consists of community members, Augustana students and members of the Augustana Choir. The ensemble is celebrated for exploring the riches of choral-orchestral literature. “Messiah” is performed approximately every four years.

Presented through generous support from Kim and Donna Brunner.

WVIK, Quad Cities NPR is a proud media sponsor.

Tickets are available at www.augustana.edu/tickets or by calling 309-794-7306. 
For additional information, please contact the Ticket Office at tickets@augustana.edu or 309-794-7306.

PERFORMERS

Conductor – Dr. Jon Hurty
Dr. Jon Hurty is director of choral activities and the Henry Veld Professor of Music at Augustana and an internationally active conductor and clinician.

Soprano – Michelle Areyzaga
Michelle Areyzaga has performed with major orchestras across the United States and abroad and is a noted interpreter of Leonard Bernstein’s music.

Tenor – Steven Soph
Steven Soph, praised by The Washington Post and The New York Times, performs repertoire ranging from Baroque masterworks to contemporary music.

Bass-Baritone - Jonathan Woody
Jonathan Woody has performed with historically-informed orchestras across the United States and is an avid performer of new music.

Mezzo-Soprano – Jessye Wright
Jessye Wright has appeared with Lyric Opera of Chicago, at Carnegie Hall and with major orchestras throughout the United States.

AUGUSTANA ORATORIO SOCIETY
Jon Hurty, conductor
Sheila Doak, accompanist

Soprano
Norallene Able
Danielle Allaway
Adele Bartlein
Aubry Butler
Natalie Caughlin
Kathy Clader
Maya Cronfel
Angela Dearking
Vicki Deusinger
Hannah Dochterman
Gail Dover
Georgi Feigley
Kathleen Figaro
Katie Griswold
Karen Hagerty
Brittany Hall
Mylene Hanzelka
Haleigh Jacocks
Cheri Janiczek
Chloe Knobloch
Renee Long
Jessie Madden
Alison McCrary
Maggie Meyers
Kristan Mitchell
Eleanor O’Neill
Kerri Peterson
Emma Poppy
Brooke Randazzo
Julia Remour
Elisabeth Ruggiero
Kristin Rundle
Susan Runyon
Annika Sevig
Emily Shenk-DeMay
Lily Slater
Rikka Stewart
Courtney Thames
Miranda Tyda
Jenn Van Speybroeck
Courtney Wachal
Cindy Weinberger
Kathryn Wherry
Anna Winn
Liz Wurster 

Alto 
Carol Bentsen
Ellie Betzle
Carla Chapman
Haley Chellberg
Ella Conrad
Zelda Cowell
Amy Croft
Giovanna Davila
Anne Earel
Andrea Edelen
Carole Fenney
Gwen Foulkes
Jenny Freeman
Grace Fuechtmann
Kayley Guinto
Barbara Guss
Sosi Hagopian
Anita Hdouck
Margaret Horn
Sylvia Hughes
Madeline Hutchinson
Kimberlee Isaacson
Jenna Jenke
Judy Johansen
Olivia Jones
Kathryn Kramer
Barbara Kuttler
Joey Loven
Abby Malina
Amber Mraz
Maddy Overstreet
Haven Perdomo
Natalie Platt
Casper Rakickas
Jan Riccio
Sandy Ridolfi
Bev Rosenbohm
Ellen Ryan
Genevieve Ryan
Sally Schulz
Kim Schwarzkopf
Tamara Sneddon
Michelle Steen
Jensen Stoneking
Debra Swift
Rachel Thomaschefsky
Kelly Thompson
Margaret Thompson
Hedda Ungerstedt
Dana Wojciechowski
Jillian Younger
Lesley Zwicky

Tenor
V Bechtel
Brent Behrens
Keaton Connell
Avery Denius
Jim Earel
Thom Elliott
Daryl Empen
Kallik Ewen
Jon Hansen
Isaiah James
Ryan Jones
Aiden Koehne
Mark Meyer
Lex Mikulski
Jack Moore
Michael Njus
Christopher Pace
Aaron Randolph
Lucas Rettig
Christine Rugh
Matthew Schulz
Ryan Sondgeroth
Terry Stratton
Sidney Underwood
Karin Witherow

Bass
Julian Anderson
David Baxter
Tyler Beckman
George Behnke
Perry Bentsen
Kal Boswell
Spiro Bruskas
Donald Buss
Brandon Connell
Bailey Connors
Carter Denton
Patrick Downing
Dan Drescher
Zachary Emrich-Muise
Andrew Endress
Gregory Etzel
Luke Exner
Gregory Graf
Logan Hall
Brennan Hampton
Jerry Hansen
Richard Hanzelka
Mick Harper
Maxfield Huang
Jerry Johansen
George Kalemkarian
Dan Kraus
Hector Lareau
Don Madson
Leo Marin
Issac McConnell
Kaden Micklos
Ardie Miller
Reid Miller
Percy Morgan
Carroll Morrow
Gregory O’Neill
Richard O’Neill
Jon Palomaki
Dave Pederson
Brendan Poirier
Owen Risch
Tony Schiltz
Christ Schwartz
Hunter Smith
George Swift
Jerry VanScoy
Rece Vining 

AUGUSTANA ORATORIO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

Violin I
Hisham Bravo Groover, concertmaster
Dortha DeWit                              
Andrew Gentzsch 
Charlene King                                                                         
Michele Ottesen
Susan Stone                                              

Violin II
Jeffrey Phillips, principal
Eugenio Alfaro                                   
Kim Busic                                                                                              
Stephanie Dotzel
Paula Hartmann
Kris Kendall                                                                         

Viola
Deborah Dakin, principal
Gae Ellyn Gentzsch
Kylie Little                                           

Cello
Dong Yeol Hong, principal
Madeline Kusar
Jim Reck

Bass
Mike White, principal
Richard Wagor

Oboe
Paul Chinen, principal
Barb Reck

Bassoon
Matthew Kowalczyk

Trumpet
Scott Marino, principal
Margaret Ellis

Timpani
Tony Oliver

Chorus Organ
Michael Elsbernd

Continuo Organ and Harpsichord
Christopher Nelson