January music list posted

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

Jan. 2 – 2nd Sunday after Christmas (10:00 AM)
Chancel Choir
Introit: Divinum Mysterium (plainsong, mode V)
Anthem: What is this Lovely Fragrance (arr. H. Willan, 1880-1968)
Postlude: The March of the Three Magi (Franz Liszt, 1811-1886)

Jan. 9 – The Baptism of the Lord (11:00 AM services resume this week)
Chancel Choir
Introit: Lord, When You Came to Jordan (Genevan Psalter, 1542)
Anthem: Brother James’s Air (arr. Gordon Jacob, 1895-1984)
Postlude: Postlude in F, Op. 50 no. 3 (Denis Bédard, b.1950)

Jan. 16 – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Chancel Choir
Introit: From All that Dwell Below the Skies (arr. Michael Burkhardt)
Anthem: Lead Me, Lord (Samuel Sebastian Wesley, 1810-1876)
Postlude: Fugue in C, BWV 545 (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)

Jan. 23 – 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Chancel Choir
Introit: Give Fellowship, We Pray (Harold Friedell, 1905-1958)
Anthem: Christ Hath a Garden (Gerald Near, b.1942)
Postlude: Grand Choeur (Théodore Dubois, 1837-1924)

Jan. 30 – 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Chancel Choir
Introit: I To the Hills Lift Up Mine Eyes (Jean Berger, 1909-2002)
Anthem: Lord, for Thy Tender Mercies’ Sake (R. Farrant, 1530-1580)
Postlude: Te Deum Laudamus (Dietrich Buxtehude, 1637-1707)

Christmas Organ Recital

Organ music for Christmas
Tuesday, December 21 at 11:45 AM
Kevin Dill, organist

Prelude & Fugue in G, BWV 550
J.S. Bach

The Shepherds at the Manger
The March of the Three Magi
from Weihnachtsbaum
Franz Liszt

Christmas in Sicily
Pietro Yon

Carillon on a Ukranian Carol
Gerald Near

Kevin Dill, a native of Canada, is a graduate of the University of Victoria and the University of Alberta, where he studied with Dr. Erich Schwandt, Michael Gormley, and Dr. Marnie Giesbrecht. In 2005 he received the Associateship Diploma from the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and in 2009 placed third in the RCCO's national organ playing competition. In addition to his work as Music Director at First Presbyterian, he has performed solo and duo recitals throughout Northwestern Pennsylvania, and has premiered his own choral and organ compositions.

Dill's recital is presented as part of First Presbyterian's "Lunch At First" series, which hosts speakers on a variety of topics on the third Tuesday of the month. This is the fifth consecutive year he has presented a Christmas recital on the church's three-manual, 2500-pipe organ. Admission to the recital is free, with lunch available afterwards in the Fellowship Hall for $4.

December music list posted

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


Dec. 5 – 2nd Sunday in Advent: An Advent Service of Lessons & Carols
Chancel Choir & Liberty Bells
Carol: Jesus Christ the Apple Tree (Kevin Dill)
Anthem: Rejoice Jerusalem (Healey Willan, 1880-1968)
Offertory: The Lord is Nigh (Sharon Elery Rogers, b.1929)
Carol: Bogoroditse Dyevo (Arvo Pärt, b.1935)
Postlude: Finale from Symphony I (Louis Vierne, 1870-1937)

Dec. 12 – 3rd Sunday in Advent
Junior Choir & Chancel Choir
Introit: Bogoroditse Dyevo (Arvo Pärt, b.1935)
Anthem: Advent Prayer (Allen Pote, b.1945)
Postlude: Christ, der Einig Gottes Sohn (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)

Dec. 19 – 4th Sunday in Advent
Liberty Bells
Prelude: Nun Komm, der Heiden Heiland (D. Buxtehude, 1637-1707)
Offertory: Two Polish Christmas Carols (arr. Kenneth Danchik)
Postlude: Allegro, from Concerto in b minor (A. Vivaldi, 1678-1741)

Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve Family Service (5:00 PM)
Junior Choir
Anthem: Dormi, Dormi (Italian Carol, arr. Mary Goetze)
Postlude: Prelude & Fugue in G, BWV 550 (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (11:00 PM)
Chancel Choir
Prelude: Trio Sonata in C, BWV 529 (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)
Introit: A Marvelous Wonder (Kevin Dill)
Anthem: Rise Up Early (Slovak Carol, arr. Richard Kountz)
Choral Response: Gloria in Excelsis (Kevin Dill)
Postlude: Prelude & Fugue in G, BWV 550 (J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)

Dec. 26 – 1st Sunday after Christmas (10:00 AM)
Chancel Choir
Introit: Puer Natus in Bethlehem (plainsong, mode i)
Anthem: This Enders Nyght (Old English carol, arr. Theron Kirk)
Postlude: Carillon on a Ukranian Carol (Gerald Near, b.1942)

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)