When I planned for the bells to perform during our Mar 14th service, I could not foresee how much of a challenge it would be. First of all, it was a challenging piece for most players as it was the first time that they had more than two bells to use during the piece. Some of them had to change more than once. The next challenge was that it appeared that not everybody who had practiced with the choir could be there on the date. But all the players realized that you cannot just drop out at the last moment and not have a replacement player for your position. So while that would mean that some positions where going to be played by people who had not played in a long time and another position would be filled by a new person, we still had all positions filled.
Then came Mother Nature! After giving us more snow than many of us can remember, at least in one winter and in such a short time, she decided that more water was needed, so down it came. And it was more than enough for most rivers and stream to overflow. And the Raritan River was no exception!
For the Bell Choir it meant that all of a sudden some players were stuck at home with flooded basements, power outages, and what else comes with flooding. Other players did make it to church but only just in time. The piece was played, not with all positions filled, but it was not that noticeable. Many thanks to my Bell Choir and substitute players for their perseverance! Everybody played very well! Unfortunately, not many people could hear us play this beautiful song, so we will keep it in our repertoire and play it again sometime later this year, hopefully in less challenging circumstances!
March was yet another successful month in the ministry of First Reformed Church’s music program. We are always looking forward to great, ambitious projects, and are fortified by the community of musicians that we bring together many times during worship services, rehearsals, and times for fellowship.
On rainy March 14th, the Adult Choir convened in the Randolph Room for our first annual Choral Rehearsal Retreat. We enjoyed the fellowship of our choir over a delicious lunch prepared by many different hands.
Mark A. Boyle, the music director of Emanuel Lutheran Church in New Brunswick and a candidate for a Doctorate of Music at Rutgers University, led us in nearly three hours of singing to prepare for Holy Week, Easter, and beyond. We are blessed to be in a town where many musicians flourish. Further, we are lucky to be in a society of interconnected houses of worship that come together to develop ways to be more aware of New Brunswick’s extreme diversity.
Starting on March 14th, the children of our church began to rehearse music for the Easter Musical Revue, an idea hatched by the church’s Education committee. The Musical Revue Society for Children (“Mrs. C”) will make its performance debut on Easter, singing hymns about the resurrection and acting out the drama of that miraculous moment in history.
As we progress toward Easter and reflect upon Lent, let us consider what we have learned about ourselves through Lenten reflection. Eyes may be the windows to the soul, but music is the door to it. There is no greater presence of the Holy Spirit as when the sounds of music fill our venerable buildings. Like the sunlight streaming through the dreary clouds on a cold winter day, music rejuvenates and enlivens us, and reminds us of the spring days, of the days of our new life in Christ, that are oh so near.
The adult choir of First Reformed Church has had a very contemplative and peaceful beginning to Lent, as we continue to explore other genres of repertory, namely, the Italian Renaissance. With Vittoria’s Missa O Quam Gloriosum est Regnum, we filled the halls of the church with the weaving polyphony of a Latin chant, namely, Agnus Dei.
On Mar 14th, the adult choir is going on ‘retreat’ to the Van Wickle House to continue to grow as a ministry. Our special guest is soon-to-be Dr. Mark A. Boyle, the Choir Director at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New Brunswick. He will lead us in a three-hour rehearsal to help us prepare for Holy Week, Easter, and beyond.
As we continue to grow in Love, we are learning that the harmony of music is as mysteriously beautiful and difficult to execute as any of the challenges of all of the ministries of our church.
Tagged as:
choir,
music ministry
During the worship of February 7th, the bell choir played a beautiful piece. It was a bit more challenging than the pieces we have played before. For March 14th, we are working on a new piece with some other new techniques for most players. As a choir we are growing nicely towards more intricate pieces. We also have started to work on a song that we will play during the Easter worship service.
With the short rehearsal time we have, the whole choir is very grateful that every week Norma comes a little bit early so the bells are all out and ready for us to play when we come to the music room. Thank you, Norma, for doing this every week for us!
Tagged as:
bell choir
Thanks to a grant awarded by Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission and to a sponsor of the recital series, this spring will be enlivened by four free recitals. We hope you’ll join us at 12:15 on the dates shown below. Think about who to bring with you or who to tell. The music will be a great treat, as will the conversation over lunch following each program. Here’s what is coming:
March 24 Chris Brown Trio, a saxophone, bass, and piano trio performing jazz pieces that Brown and pianist Alex Collins have composed or arranged. Alex Rodriguez is the bassist.
April 14 Cellist Elizabeth Thompson and pianist Phyllis Alpert Lehrer will perform works by Lucas Foss and Samuel Barber in this Barber centenary year.
April 28 Returning performers Li-Chan Chen Maxham and pianist David Iskowitz will be joined by baritone John Maxham in a program of songs by Schumann, Mendelssohn, Quilter, and Romberg.
May 12 Trio21 will perform a varied program of 21st century works ranging from children’s pieces to impressionist musical poems. The group includes flutist Kevin Willois, clarinetist Kenneth Ellison, and pianist Lynda Saponara.
December and January were both very exciting months for music at First Reformed Church . The Advent season was filled with a beautiful variety of music ranging from a rendition of a Bach chorale setting played by John Coakley and the choir, to a romantic illustration of the meaning of Christ’s coming by Gabriel Fauré Cantique de Jean Racine. The adult choir and the bell choir also joined forces for the first time.
Christmas Eve was a magical worship service with a mighty choral presence and the delicate soloing of Lillian Kramer-Mills. The Beemsterboer family played beautifully their violins during Silent Night, and Hartmut Kramer-Mills accompanied us expertly during our Hiram Square Christmas Caroling event before the service.
On Jan 3rd, the Adult Choir led the worship service at the Reformed Church Home. Pastor Samir welcomed us into his house of worship and many, many people were touched by our music, our preaching, and especially Pastor Hartmut’s leadership of the hymns on his horn.
We are glad to welcome two recent new members to the Adult Choir: Allison Weaver and Heather Epstein. May the whole world sing in exultation, always glorifying God’s name.
Ever heard of the saying, “Many hands make light work?” On Saturday, Jan 9th, we proved that it is true. With eleven people around one table, we cleaned three octaves of bells in 30 minutes! Thank you Allison, Susan, Liz, Norma, Ellen, Margaret, Ben, Irina, Sarah and Nicole.
Now that the bells are shiny again, we have started to work on two new music pieces. In addition, we are looking towards Easter for some more music.
Tagged as:
handbells
