Rev. 9/04/08 The Sounds of Love and Joy Music is a bountiful and varied component of the worship experience at First Presbyterian. The renowned choir, now under the direction of Don Ingram has mastered a repertoire of ancient and modern pieces that enrich the worship experience. Gifted soloists provide ample affirmation to their divinely inspired talents. Nancy Frank, our organist and pianist, is acknowledged as among the most accomplished of the Capital District. Nancy celebrated her 35th year with FPC in 2008! Gordon Hibbard has also joined our ranks, with piano and organ accompaniment to summer services and our early Sunday services at 8:30 am. For more information on our Casavant Frères organ read About The Organ by Nancy Frank. The choir, its soloists and the organist collaborate with local musicians in popular musical events, such as Second Sunday - which treats our congregation to captivating preludes by instrumentalists and vocalists. VESPERS WITH ORCHESTRA Twice a year (Advent and Lent), the Choir is augmented by a baker's dozen of talented musicians, as the focal point to evening vespers services. Previous musical offerings have included Puccini's Magnificat, Britten's Ceremony of Carols and Mozart's Dominican Vespers - during Advent. Our Good Friday vespers, as can be expected, have offered more somber musical fare. Bach's Christ Lag in Totesbanden, Haydn's Seven Last Words, and the classic Requiem by Gabriel Fauré. For Good Friday, 2008, we presented Maurice Duruflé's REQUIEM, a French composition heavily influenced by his contemporary Fauré. Relying heavily on plainsong and traditional Gregorian chant, Duruflé's composition has an overall claming and ethereal effect. Additional musical offerings included Danse Sacrée by Claude Debussy (for orchestra) and Mode de rè by Jean Langlais (organ solo by FPC's "artist-in-residence", Nancy Frank). Who knows what musical magic we will offer up in the months ahead. A surprising number of our singers are also intrumentalists, so anything goes! We are fortunate to have a Chapel Choir, directed by Fiona McKinney, that offers periodic musical contributions from our younger vocalists. In addition to anthems during services, the Chapel Choir most recently produced Once Upon a Parable, complete with PowerPointtm scenery, and Gordon Hibberd on the piano. Click here for a sampling of the choir's efforts - excerpts from our Advent Vespers 2003, faithfully reproduced by our resident audio engineer, Wesley Frank. DISCOGRAPHY Click here for a complete listing of First Presbyterian's Advent and Good Friday VESPERS CD's - from 1999 to the present, plus CD recordings of a few of Nancy Frank's organ recitals.