The LaSalle Bank in Chicago sponsors a Do-It-Yourself Messiah every Advent. Four top professional soloists and a guest conductor, 80 piece orchestra plus organist and harpsichordist, all for two nights in the Civic Opera Center in Chicago. The bank pays the whole bill and gives the tickets away (about 3500 each night) to whoever wants to show up. The audience brings scores and sings their hearts out. It really makes Christmas for me.
I went to one at Royal ALbert Hall in London with Sir Richard Hickoks directing. Church choirs from all over England had come to participate, over 5000 of them. It was astonishingly beautiful. I had not become a church singer as of that time and so was lacking in respect for the tremendous talent and dedication of the people who serve the Lord, through music, in his Temple every week. I no longer lack that respect.