This week's Music Notes

Music Notes

June 24th, 2019

From the Podium

This is a surprise mid-summer Music Notes, but I have some very important and exciting news about the future of Concord's music ministries.

As most of you know, Hannah Berkley will be leaving us at the end of MOSAIC to pursue a full-time career in teaching. Her last Sunday with us will be July 21st. Hannah has been a wonderful part of Concord's music history. She has done an outstanding job leading our children's music program, and has taken the Worship Choir to new heights of quality. She has been a great friend, a great colleague, and a vital part of our music leadership team. We will greatly miss her, but wish her the very best in her teaching career.

However, as much as we hate to see Hannah leave us, we are excited to announce that Haley Retterer will be assuming the role of Associate Director of Music beginning July 22nd. Haley has a long history with our music program as a singer with both Worship and Chancel Choirs and as an instructor in each of our MOSAIC camps. Haley will be taking over the Worship Choir beginning July 28th, and is already at work planning the kick-off to next year's children's music program. Haley brings a fantastic spirit to the music leadership team as well as some exciting creative ideas for the future. There are some changes on the way in the music ministry department, and I look forward to working with Haley in casting new visions for Concord's music programs. I hope that you will join me in welcoming Haley. She has been a great friend of ours for several years and I'm thrilled that she will be a part of our team.

Chancel and Worship Choirs

Chancel Choir - We will have our final rehearsal this Wednesday before our annual July rehearsal break. We'll meet at 7:15.

Youth Choir

I am so appreciative of each one of you for making this year's choir tour the very best one I've ever led. Words can't express how grateful I am to the adult chaperones who gave their time, attention, and love to the youth choir. To the members of this year's youth choir, thank you for your commitment, your wonderful spirit, and your talent. Wherever we went on this tour, and whenever we sang this year, we left smiles and joy behind us. I hope you had fun on this tour, but I also hope that you will remember the joy that you gave to complete strangers. You changed lives for the better, if only for a few minutes. You were the model of Christian discipleship this week, and I'm enormously proud and honored to be able to work with you. I don't yet know when we will be gathering to begin the next choir year, but in the meantime enjoy the success of your choir tour, invite your friends to be a part of next year's choir, and stay in touch with me. If you are looking for something to do this summer, feel free to drop by the church and hang out with me.

Other Musical Ensembles

Concord Men's Ensemble - We will get together again Sunday, July 7th at 6:00 in the choir room. We are trying to sing in worship on July 28th.

Concord Bells and Wesley Bells - Our bells are back! They are shiny and ready for ringers. I hope you are enjoying a summer break, but it's not too early to begin thinking about next year. The most important thing for me now is to find out from you when you would like to have rehearsals. We can keep things the same or change things around. Right now everything is open, so send me your thoughts and suggestions.

Concord Orchestra - Keep July 22nd on your calendar. We will be starting up orchestra rehearsals again. Help me spread the word so that we can have as large and diverse an orchestra as possible.