The Music Ministry
Summer Choir Rehearsal Schedule
Wednesday, July 16, 6:45-8:15 Ice cream and cookies
following rehearsal
Wednesday, August 13, 6:45-8:15
Regular Choir schedule resumes
More information on the Children's Choir programs is available here as
well as permission
forms and registration
cards.
Music Ministry Video
Worship Ministry Video
The Music Ministry of the First
Baptist Church of Greenville consists of five children's choirs, two youth choirs,
a handbell choir and the Sanctuary Choir, involving over
300 people in the making of music. The music staff includes full-time employees,
part-time assistants, student interns and many willing volunteers. The Music
Ministry has had a strong relationship with Furman University for many years, primarily
because of the leadership of DuPre Rhame who was both Minister of Music at the
church (1936-1970) and Professor at Furman University (1946-1970). As a whole,
the Music Ministry seeks to glorify God, using our talents to make music of excellence
that reflects on the One who is the source of all good gifts. Our desire
is to worship God "in spirit and truth" (John 4:24) "uniting our voices in praise" (2
Chronicles 5:13).
The Music Staff
Cyndy Garris, Music Assistant (Send Mail)
Dr. Charles Tompkins, Organist (Send Mail)
Priscilla Harris, Children's Choir Coordinator (Send Mail)
The Choirs
The Sanctuary Choir is currently under the
interim direction of Vivian
Hamilton
and is accompanied by Charles
Tompkins. The
choir
rehearses each Wednesday from 6:45 to 8:15 p.m. The choir sings and leads worship
each Sunday
and
performs
several
major
works with orchestra throughout the year. Recent performances include Magnificat
by the English composer John Rutter, W.A. Mozart's Requiem, and Gospel Mass by Robert
Ray. In recent years the choir has performed with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra
at the Peace Center for the Performing Arts. The choir was selected to perform for
the Southern Division of the American Choral Directors Association (ADCA) in March
2000 in Orlando, Florida, and at the national ADCA convention in San Antonio, Texas
in March of 2001. In the summer of 2004, the choir led in Sunday worship at the historic
Riverside Church in New York City.
The Adult Handbell Choir rehearses each Monday from 5:30
to 6:30 p.m. The choir plays four or five times each year in worship and frequently
combines with the Sanctuary Choir and/or brass ensemble on selected anthems. Participation
in this choir is by invitation. Any person interested in becoming a member of the
Adult Handbell Choir should contact Cyndy
Garris.
The Senior High Choir is open to teenagers in grades 9
through
12. The choir rehearses each Sunday afternoon from
5:00 to 6:00
p.m. They are currently under the interim direction of Jane Stelling. A snack supper
is provided following rehearsal, and the youth then have a youth activity from 6:30
to 7:30 p.m. The choir joins with youth choirs from the Southeast participating in
a youth
choir
festival
in
Myrtle
Beach
each
spring. In the summer the choir performs a musical as a part of the annual Mission
Trip sponsored
by the Youth Ministry. In recent years, the choir has performed the musical "This
Changes Everything" by composer, singer, and songwriter Kyle Matthews and the
musical
"Solid Rock Café," which was composed by their director.
The Middle School Choir is for youth in grades 6 through 8. The choir rehearses each Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. This choir performs several times throughout the year and frequently combines with the Senior High Choir when singing in worship. They are currently under the interim direction of Jane Stelling.
The Three-Year "Angel" Choir
Co-directors:
Carol Ann Good and Beth Nuckolls
Choir assistants: Pam Jones and Leigh Joye.
The Four-Year Choir
Director:
Kathy Atkinson
Choir assistants: Rebecca Beeby, Rod McClendon, and Lauri Morton
The Five-Year Choir
Co-directors: Priscilla Harris and Barbara Whatley-West
Choir assistants: Julie Histon, Rod McClendon, and Linda Young
First Grade Choir
Director: Karen Childers
Choir assistants: Brittany Coates, Mike Dunn, Sharon Lancaster, and
Joy
Rohrbaugh
Second/Third Grade Choir
Director: Nancy Kirby
Choir assistants: Jordan Coates, Kimberly Coates, Jane Ella Matthews, and David Richardson
Junior Choir (Grades 4 and 5)
Director: Jill Fuson
Choir assistant: Carol Godfrey