January 2023 Music News

What a whirlwind of activity December was musically at FPCE!  If holiday music was your thing, we certainly had it pretty much every weekend.  Here’s a recap and a bunch of thank you’s:
  • The Edgewood Symphony once again held their annual holiday concert on the first Saturday, finishing out the evening activities of Light Up Edgewood. 
  • The next week, we hosted and joined the Munhall Community Band for their Christmas Concert.  Our Sanctuary Choir joined forces with the singers from Anne Ashley United Methodist Church of Munhall on the opening and closing songs of the concert.  The podium was visited by 2 of our FPCE family members – Mandy Rineer is the assistant director of MCB and conducted a couple of pieces; and back for a famed appearance is our favorite SantaSeg (who also appeared the week before with the ESO!). Thanks to all of our choir members for giving of their time to attend the extra rehearsals and concert!
  • Our busiest weekend by far was December 17-18.  We held FOUR different musical events in a 48 hour period in our sanctuary!  Our resident flute instructor, Sarah Steranka held her flute studio recital on Saturday morning.  Later that evening Vocal Confluence presented their holiday barbershop show and were joined by the Renaissance City Choir.  Sunday morning was the most special to me personally as for the first time since 2018 I was able to bring my North Hills Singers group to Edgewood.  We sang a combined anthem with NH and FPCE, then after the service performed our secular holiday set.  Our gracious Sanctuary Choir members hosted a yummy lunch following the mini-concert.  Thanks to all who helped by preparing or donating tasty treats for my “kids.” They raved about the service, the food, and your hospitality. Vocal Confluence was setting up for their second show as we were heading to the bus, wrapping up the crazy music-filled weekend!
  • Sunny Sakai and David Falk represented our music ministry at the Waverly Presbyterian Church’s Blue Christmas service.  Thanks for giving of your time and talents to make that service meaningful.
  • Christmas Eve we were treated to lovely flute music to accompany our candlelight service as Sarah Steranka joined us to share her gift in performances with Sunny and the choir as well as solo.
  • Thank you to Sunny and daughter Inori Sakai for their contributions to our “Christmas Morning from Home” presentation online.  Sunny wowed us with one of her jazz improvisations on “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” and closing the service was the piano and violin duet “Dear Jesus” that ends with a phrase of “Happy Birthday” to our newborn savior!
 
I’m grateful to all who have stepped in and helped wherever necessary as we navigate this “ministry of music hospitality” that we’ve begun over the past year or so by opening our doors to so many musical organizations.  We’ve learned a good bit about parking, coordination of set-up/tear-down, and keeping lines of communication open so that everyone feels welcome while enjoying our beautiful physical space.  I’ve spoken with each group and they all love performing at FPCE and have shared their excitement about planning future concerts with us as the host.  Some of those dates are already on our calendar for 2023.
 
I’m looking forward to things calming down just a little bit as we enter into our traditionally pretty quiet and routine time of January/February in the church year.  Choir resumes on January 8, our Worship Ensemble joins us again on January 22, and then before we know it we’ll be observing Ash Wednesday and making our journey to the cross.  But before we do all of that, let’s enjoy the birth of the newborn King with Lessons & Carols and an Epiphany celebration this month!
 
Happy New Year and Blessings to you all!
 
Shaun Cloonan
Minister of Music

Music Ministry

Always 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