Music Alive!
Psalm 57:7
My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
The First Congregational Church of Marion has an active music program, with an adult choir and a children’s choir under the direction of organist/choirmaster Beverly Peduzzi and the Meetinghouse Bells under the direction of Karen Sanborn. Guest soloists are engaged throughout the summer months and often for special events during the rest of the year.
Hutchings Organ
The church is blessed with an historic two-manual, tracker-action organ, built in 1883 by George S. Hutchings (read more about Hutchings here) (view the organ stop list here). Purchased with the help of a donation from philanthropist Elizabeth Taber, it replaced a smaller, one-manual chamber organ placed in the balcony. This was played for a number of years by Joseph H. Hatton, who was trained at the Perkins School for the Blind (read biography here). A series of public recitals is presented regularly on the Hutchings organ.
Click here to read an article from the Andover Organ Company 2017 Newsletter mentioning our organ, as well as other work the company has completed.
Senior Choir
The Senior Choir rehearsals are held every Wednesday night at 7pm in the sanctuary. Those interested in singing are welcome to join throughout the year. If you feel you cannot commit to every Sunday, please consider joining for seasonal programs. Please contact Bev Peduzzi at beverlypeduzzi@yahoo.com with questions.
Special Musical Offerings
Throughout the year and during the Senior choir's summer hiatus, we offer special music and musical programs. If you have a musical talent to share or know of others who does, please speak with our music director or pastor. We are always interested in expanding our musical offerings.
Sue Maxwell Lewis, Piper
Tabor Academdy Gospel Choir
Vi Taylor, Cellist
Patrick Henry College Chorale
Special Music - June 25, 2023
"On the Wings of the Morning" Words: Psalm 139 Adapted by Ben Dunham; music by Dwight Thomas
Sue Maxwell Lewis, Guest Piper
Beverly Peduzzi, Organist
Special Music - July 2, 2023
"Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" George F. Handel, arr. W. Weisman ~ Four Hands Piano Piece
Cassandra Morgan, Guest Pianist
Beverly Peduzzi, Pianist/Music Director
*A carillon according to the New Oxford American Dictionary is "a set of bells in a tower, played using a keyboard or an automatic mechanism". Read an informative description of our carillon system in the Carillonneur Report found here.
Carillon*
Do you enjoy the church chimes on Sunday mornings?
Then thank Benjamin Dunham!
Benjamin Dunham is our Carillonneur; he has been programming the chimes since about 2007 when Marjory Robinson (Pastor George Robinson’s wife) asked him to take on the challenge. The musical chimes are separate from the hourly chimes. The musical chimes are programmed to play at 12:02 and 6:02 PM, on Sunday mornings, and on special occasions such as Veterans Day or the Christmas Stroll.
Benjamin will be programming the chimes this year, as he does each year, to play Christmas selections every 15 minutes. We appreciate his faithful care in providing this special aspect of our church for the community.