It has been several years since the FPCE Music Ministry has held a full Concert Series.  Over the past few years, we've hosted one or two special concerts per year - groups from the Young People's Chorus of Erie, pianist Nathan Carterette, as well as the annual Edgewood Symphony Orchestra holiday concert.  We're going to try to make a more formal series for 2014-15, starting with hosting a Women's Choral Festival on Sunday, November 9, 2014.  This festival has been around for several years, beginning with the University of Pittsburgh Women's Choral Ensemble hosting it at Heinz Chapel, then moving to Seton Hill University.  Due to lack of a facility to hold the event, it was canceled last year, so FPCE has offered to make it a part of our Concert Series and will serve as the host for this unique display of women's choral music.

There is no charge for the concert, which will take place at 3:00PM in the Sanctuary.  The nice thing about the festival is that the performing groups get to hear each other by sitting in the audience when they are not performing.  Groups participating in this year's festival include 2 high schools, 2 universities, and a community choir.  They are: North Hills High School, Pine-Richland High School, University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, and the Carica Milica Serbian Women's Choir.

Plans are in the works to hold at least one other concert in addition to the ESO holiday concert -- possibly featuring our own pianist Sunny Sakai and daughter violinist Inori Sakai.  The North Hills Singers ensemble that minister of music Shaun Cloonan directs will most likely join us for worship in December with a mini-concert after the service, and we're also hoping to welcome back the Nouveau Noir Vocal Ensemble some time this year.