November music list posted

Music list for choral services (11:00 unless otherwise noted)

Nov. 7 – 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Music director on study leave

Nov. 14 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time; Stewardship Sunday
Chancel Choir
Introit: I Will Worship the Lord (John Rutter, b.1945)
Anthem: O Sing Joyfully (Adrian Batten, 1591-1637)
Postlude: Scherzo, from Symphony II (Charles-Marie Widor, 1844-1937)

Nov. 21 – 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time; PW Thank Offering Sunday
Liberty Bells, Junior Choir, & Women of the Chancel Choir
Prelude: Spiritual (Kevin McChesney, b.1958)
Anthem: A Song of Praise and Thanksgiving (Allen Pote, b.1945)
Postlude: Prelude, from Te Deum (Marc-Antoine Charpentier, 1643-1704)

Nov. 28 – 1st Sunday in Advent
Gentlemen of the Chancel Choir
Introit: Splendor Paternae Gloriae (plainsong, mode I)
Anthem: But Who May Abide, from Messiah (G.F. Handel, 1685-1750) Postlude: Wachet Auf (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)

Choral Evensong

Christ Episcopal Church, 870 Diamond Park, Meadville, will host a service of Choral Evensong on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 4 PM. The choir of Christ Church, directed by William Witherup, will be joined for this event by the choir of Meadville First Presbyterian Church, directed by Kevin Dill.

Choral Evensong is a service of scripture, music and prayer that has been sung at Anglican churches since the 16th century. The service will feature music by the English composers C.V. Stanford and Adrian Batten, along with Witherup’s own setting of the Preces and Responses. Both choirs warmly invite the community to join them in this gesture of inter-church cooperation.

Piping Hot

For the second time in as many years, the First Presbyterian Church of Meadville will host an evening of “piping hot” music for brass and organ. This free concert, taking place on Tuesday, October 19 at 7:30 PM, is being organized by Dr. Jennifer Dearden of Allegheny College and Kevin Dill, the church’s Director of Music. Ten players from the college’s department of music will perform on trumpet, trombone, horn, and tuba.

The program features solos, duets, quartets, and quintets for brass and organ by composers from the 16th to the 21st centuries. In addition to coaching the student ensembles, Dearden will take the stage with music for solo trumpet. Dill accompanies the brass on the church’s 2500-pipe Schlicker organ.

For more information contact First Presbyterian at 333-2161. Last year's concert nearly drew a full house, so come early to get a good seat!

October music list posted

Music list for choral services (11:00 unless otherwise noted)

Oct. 3 – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time; World Communion Sunday
Chancel Choir
Introit: Bread of the World (tune: Louis Bourgeois, c.1510-1560)
Motet: O Sacrum Convivium (Ludovico da Viadana, 1564-1645)
Communion: Selections from 1er Livre d’Orgue (J.Boyvin, 1650-1706)
Postlude: Toccata in b minor (Eugène Gigout, 1844-1925)

Oct. 10 – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Juanita Shutsa, flute
Prelude: Improvisation, from Suite Médiévale (Jean Langlais, 1907-1991)
Offertory: Allegro, from Flute Sonata in g minor (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)
Postlude: Finale, from Concerto in a minor (Giuseppe Torelli, 1658-1709)

Oct. 17 – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liberty Bells & Chancel Choir
Introit: I Will Arise and Go To Jesus (arr. Robert Shaw & Alice Parker)
Offertory: Fantasy on ‘Hyfrydol’ (Hal Hopson, b.1933)
Postlude: Fugue in g minor (Nicolaus Bruhns, 1665-1697)

Oct. 24 – 30h Sunday in Ordinary Time
Chancel Choir
Introit: I Will Worship the Lord (John Rutter, b.1945)
Anthem: Come Away to the Skies (Alice Parker, b. 1925)
Postlude: Allegro from Sonata I (Felix Mendelssohn, 1809-1847)

Oct. 31 – Reformation Sunday (11:00 AM)
Junior Choir & Liberty Bell quartet
Prelude: Intercession (Kevin Dill)
Anthem: Hear My Words (Stephen Paulus, b.1949)
Postlude: Psalm XIX (Benedetto Marcello, 1686-1739)
Choral Evensong at Christ Episcopal Church (4:00 PM)
The combined choirs of First Presbyterian Church
and Christ Episcopal Church (William Witherup, choirmaster)
Preces and Responses: in G (William Witherup, b.1944)
Canticles: Evening Service in C (Charles Villiers Stanford, 1852-1924)
Anthem: O Sing Joyfully (Adrian Batten, 1591-1637)

September music list posted

Music list for choral services (11:00 unless otherwise noted)

Sept. 5 – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (9:30 AM)
Chancel Choir
Introit: Day By Day (Harold Friedell, 1905-1958)
Anthem: Shall We Gather at the River (arr. John Carter, b.1930)
Postlude: March (Louis Lefébure-Wely, 1817-1867)

Sept. 12 – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (regular 11:00 hours resume this week)
Chancel Choir
Introit: Splendor Paternae Gloriae (plainsong, mode i)
Anthem: O For a Closer Walk with God (C.V. Stanford, 1852-1924)
Postlude: Postlude in D (Denis Bédard, b.1950)

Sept. 19 – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Chancel Choir
Introit: Try Me, O God (James Nares, 1715-1783)
Anthem: I Will Arise and Go to Jesus (arr. Alice Parker & Robert Shaw)
Postlude: Prelude in G, BWV 550 (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)

Sept. 26 – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liberty Bells & Chancel Choir
Introit: Come Away to the Skies (arr. Alice Parker, b.1925)
Offertory: I Ring My Praise to God (Howard Starks, b.1928)
Postlude: Prelude in F Sharp Major (Johann Ludwig Krebs, 1713-1780)

Choral Scholarships available

First Presbyterian Church of Meadville has scholarships available for students willing to sing with our Chancel Choir for the 2010-2011 season. Singers must be able to commit to Thursday evening rehearsals (7:30-9:00) and Sunday morning worship (10:20-12:00).

As this program is intended to be a learning opportunity, preference will be given to:
- those in post-secondary studies,
- those taking music lessons privately or through a college or conservatory,
- high school students with the musical ability to sing in an adult choir.

Preference will be given to candidates with choral experience and music reading ability, though we will consider all potential singers on their own merit. For further information contact Kevin Dill at the church.

No robes -- no rehearsals -- no commitment!

All voices are welcome in First Presbyterian's Summer Choir. We will meet at 9:00 to warm up for the 9:30 service on Sundays from August 1 to September 5. The repertoire will be easier than the choir's usual fare. Join us for just one day, or for all six! Contact Kevin Dill for further information.