ESO will “Return to the Stage” on October 9
The Edgewood Symphony Orchestra is excited to present its first live performance since December of 2019, and admission is FREE! The opening concert for our 34th season is a trio of ensemble performances. The ESO String Orchestra performs Edvard Grieg's Holberg Suite. The orchestra's wind dectet performs Joachim Raff's Sinfonietta. And our brass and percussion ensemble performs Henri Tomasi's Fanfares Liturgiques. The concert takes place Saturday, October 9 at 7:30pm in the First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood sanctuary and will be free, but tickets are required for entry.* $15 donations gratefully accepted. Reserve your ticket today at www.edgewoodsymphony.org.
* By reserving your free tickets, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. By attending the concert, you and any guests assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19, and agree not to hold the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra, the First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood, or any of their officers, directors, employees, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.
* By reserving your free tickets, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. By attending the concert, you and any guests assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19, and agree not to hold the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra, the First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood, or any of their officers, directors, employees, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.
October 2021 Music Ministry News
September has been a month of reunions and remembering the joy of praising God through music. It has been a real blessing to have our Sanctuary Choir back in worship again, raising their voices in harmony during our anthems. The worship ensemble was back in full force, complete with our long-lost drummer Johnny returning to the group. And seeing the congregation standing and participating in the hymns and responses (even with a mask on) has been uplifting.
As with most transitions and attempts to return to “normal,” some adjustments have been required and sometimes things don’t go as smoothly as possible. For instance, while it was great to have the drum set back in our emerging service, we used a V-Drum Kit (an electronic version of a drum set that gets plugged into a sound system) and discovered that the signal it sent out to the camera for online worship overloaded the other instruments and microphones, causing those watching on Facebook and YouTube to hear a bunch of distortion instead of the songs those in the sanctuary heard. I’m hoping it’s a simple fix of just adjusting some levels for this month, but we may end up needing to get a new mixing board.
Also, while attempting to make it feel more like a pre-pandemic service, we’ve reintroduced the gathering song (even though it takes about 30 seconds to pass the peace with a wave since no one is walking around and hugging just yet), and have added a response in the spot that would have been the offertory and/or doxology (even though we aren’t physically passing the collection plates). Hopefully, sooner rather than later we will no longer be distancing or wearing masks and then “regular” worship can resume. Til then, to quote a certain animated fish, we’ll “just keep swimming!”
Peace,
Shaun Cloonan, minister of music
As with most transitions and attempts to return to “normal,” some adjustments have been required and sometimes things don’t go as smoothly as possible. For instance, while it was great to have the drum set back in our emerging service, we used a V-Drum Kit (an electronic version of a drum set that gets plugged into a sound system) and discovered that the signal it sent out to the camera for online worship overloaded the other instruments and microphones, causing those watching on Facebook and YouTube to hear a bunch of distortion instead of the songs those in the sanctuary heard. I’m hoping it’s a simple fix of just adjusting some levels for this month, but we may end up needing to get a new mixing board.
Also, while attempting to make it feel more like a pre-pandemic service, we’ve reintroduced the gathering song (even though it takes about 30 seconds to pass the peace with a wave since no one is walking around and hugging just yet), and have added a response in the spot that would have been the offertory and/or doxology (even though we aren’t physically passing the collection plates). Hopefully, sooner rather than later we will no longer be distancing or wearing masks and then “regular” worship can resume. Til then, to quote a certain animated fish, we’ll “just keep swimming!”
Peace,
Shaun Cloonan, minister of music
Music MinistryAlways expect the unexpected. This is probably a good way to describe the varied ways in which music is incorporated into the ministry at First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood. Led by Minister of Music Shaun Cloonan, the volunteer and staff members of the music ministry present expressions of praise and enhancement to worship through a multitude of ways.
Sanctuary Choir The dedicated and talented members of the Sanctuary Choir meet each week for an hour before Sunday morning worship to learn hymns, anthems, and presentations to share in worship. Mostly a traditional SATB format, the styles the choir have tackled range from simple chants from the Taize and Iona traditions, to mass settings in Latin, to gospel pieces and traditional songs from Africa. More important than the high quality of music, though, is the incredible sense of family and community felt in this group. Consider joining to be a part of the "joyful noise!" Worship Ensemble What some might consider a "praise band," this ensemble varies in its instrumentation and members depending on scheduling and availability. The core group is piano, percussion, a vocal soloist, and guitar. Some months, additional guitars are included, as well as keyboard, additional singers, auxilliary percussion (such as djembe or conga), saxophone, euphonium, and even violin. This ensemble rehearses the week before the monthly Emerging Worship service, usually on a Wednesday evening as well as early Sunday morning. Section Leaders Edgewood is fortunate to have a core of vocalists on staff to sing with the choir or worship ensemble as the needs occur. During the summer months, the choir takes a vacation from worship, and the section leaders provide music leadership in the form of solos, duets, trios, and quartets. Guest Musicians Over the years, FPCE has been fortunate to have several guest musicians and ensembles join in worship. Several years in a row, the University of Pittsburgh Women's Choral Ensemble sang during worship, and then used the building for their fall retreat. The Nouveau Noir Vocal Ensemble twice collaborated in worship with the FPCE Sanctuary choir during 2012 and 2013. The North Hills Singers chamber choir that Minister of Music Shaun Cloonan directs at North Hills High School sang during worship and then offered a mini-concert after in 2012, '14, '15, and '16. We've held Jazz Vespers services, featuring pianist Sunny Sakai with various combinations of professional jazz musicians. Easter 2017 featured guest flute and cello player, and niece of Pastor Michael, Liana Westerman, along with resident worship ensemble guitarist Lisa Segedy. Concert Series FPCE enjoys a partnership with the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra, providing rehearsal space for them on occasion, and hosting them for their annual holiday concert in December with the Renaissance City Choirs. Beginning in November 2014, the music ministry annually hosts a regional Women's Choral Festival, featuring collegiate, community, and high school female singing ensembles for an afternoon of song. Throughout the year, Edgewood welcomes visiting musical groups, ranging from organ recitalists to jazz combos to choral ensembles. Most recently, FPCE enjoyed a concert by the Cantare Choir from the Young People's Chorus of Erie in June 2012, a piano recital by Nathan Carterette in June 2013, and the Heidelberg University Concert Choir in May 2017. The Edgewood Organ The first pipe organ of the Edgewood Presbyterian Church was installed in 1917 by Casavent Frères, Lte. company of Canada. This organ served the church until 1967 when, under budgetary constraints, the failing organ was replaced with a modest-sized Möller organ, built in Hagerstown, Maryland. The console from the original organ had been retained until funds became available for a new one. In quite serious condition, the console was finally replaced in 1978 with a generously sized 4-manual Möller console built to match the intricately carved oak of the sanctuary and organ case. In 1992, the console was rebuilt with a new solid-state combination action which replaced the old, air-driven, pneumatic combination action. Less than two years later, the entire Antiphonal organ had to be shut down completely and it was apparent that substantial repairs were imminent. In 1998, a fundraising campaign began to rebuild the organ and to purchase a keyboard. The Organ Fund Committee launched the campaign, "Music for the Millennium" on Easter Sunday, 1999. In 2001, the instrument renovation was completed. It is one of magnificence, a true statement to the wonder and majesty of Almighty God, whose praises First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood now sing with more excitement than ever before. Music Ministry Staff Shaun Cloonan, minister of music Sunny Sakai, organist and pianist Mandy Rineer, music associate |
|
