This is the final anniversary page added to the Messenger in review of our history and where we are today. Congratulations to us all!
Carnegie Hall to the Great Sanctuary of St. Mark's
"I'm looking forward to being at St. Mark's in warm and sunny San Diego. It snowed in New York tonight and it's cold!" Mark Hayes explained a week ago. He was rehearsing a 200-voice choir and 45-piece orchestra at New York's famous music hall. And he's coming to St. Mark's as part of our celebration. You'll hear his anthem, The Glory of God, on Sunday that was composed in honor of our 60th anniversary.
Mark began playing piano at his family's church when he was just 13 years old. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at Baylor University in 1975, and took a short-lived job with a music publishing company that propelled his 34-year freelance career. Today, Mark is an internationally known composer, conductor, and concert pianist with over 1,000 published works in music. Kansas City, Missouri is his home but he spends time traveling and living his mission "to create beautiful music for the world."
Looking Back at the Music that Inspires our Worship
Over 60 years, some-25 choir directors, beginning with Virginia Zeisler in 1954, have graced our weekly worship with music selection and choir presentation. According to charter member and long-time chorister Martha Hilker, the first adult choir was organized mid-1954 with an enthusiastic ten voices singing in the 'social hall' sanctuary (completed in 1955). Virginia accompanied the choir on a portable pump organ that had been loaned to the church. Black choir robes were donated to the new Chancel Choir and worn until wine-colored robes were purchased in 1958. When the massive sanctuary was completed in 1962, the name changed to Cathedral Choir (but eventually returned to Chancel Choir).
The choir is a close-knit circle of friends that sings together twice a week, sometimes more. Fall retreats and special occasion celebrations throughout the year highlight the versatility and genius of today's Choirmaster, Frank Williams, Organist, Craig McIllwain, and 27 committed and talented members of Chancel Choir.
Frank, born and raised in Pennsylvania, started piano lessons at age nine. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 to 1973 and played piano and organ for churches near his duty stations. A 23-year career at Point Loma Nazarene University as Senior Financial Aid Officer and Adjunct Professor of Music, Frank has taught and played organ and piano and directed many choirs in churches throughout San Diego County.
"I have always loved choral and organ music-especially when the words and the music perfectly complement each other," Frank says. "It takes me to a place I call heaven on earth. How wonderful it is to sing God's Word."
Many of us remember Organist James Staatz who served St. Mark's 33 years. An annual organ concert series in his honor was begun in 1999, the year of his death. Eleven organists over 60 years have contributed to meaningful worship on either the early Baldwin Model 5 or larger Allen electronic organs, or on the mighty Reuter pipe organ
in place today.
The initial plan for the new pipe organ included 40 ranks to be added over time. A first segment was installed in 1969 at a cost of $37,000. Today our organ has 21 ranks of 1220 individual pipes. A rank simply means an arrangement of pipes with similar sound (each with a different pitch), which includes flutes, strings, principals, and reeds.
Organist Craig McIllwain knows how to manage those 21 ranks with great skill and considers the use of music a profoundly emotional experience. He began studying piano at age four. "My mother was delighted to discover that I had absolute pitch," he says. At age ten, he began studies with John Garvey, conductor of La Jolla Symphony. Craig's impressive career includes playing historic organs in the Netherlands and excelling in baroque organ music and the romantic organ literature of France. "My tenure at St. Mark's (since July 2006) has been an exciting series of challenges and musical achievements. I enjoy the organ and piano because of the pure joy music brings to us."
Youth and Childrens' Choirs
The first youth and children's choirs were organized in 1959 with Leonard Wolfe directing the youth and Ruth Spies directing the children. Over the years they have had many directors, including Janice McKinnis in 1970 to 1994, with a year's study break. She wanted the children to learn the beauty of singing well, learn scripture through music by learning the hymns of the church, and to appreciate music while taking part in worship. Although many of the students were singing by rote, they learned to read music if they also played the chimes as children or the bells as youth. Many years the children also presented a cantata in the spring or on Christmas Eve.
Tom Edelblute has many fond memories of those cantatas, especially the year he played Abednego in "Cool in the Furnace" and was thrown into Nebuchadnezzar's (Steve Dempster's) furnace. He recalls T. LaDue directing a masterful work of "Lightshine" with the junior and senior high choirs. Christina Mugg Peer credits the children's and youth choir experience with helping her realize her talent and strength in music. This led to one of two majors in college. She remembers her excitement in playing chimes and growing 'into' handbells. As the current chimes director, she wants the chime players to know music is fun, and endeavors to give a musical environment they look forward to.
Many people have great memories of participating in the various vocal and bell choirs at St. Mark's. You and your children are welcome to join a choir and make some memories of your own as we move into the next 60 years at St. Mark's.
-------
St. Mark's United Methodist Church
3502 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117 United States
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment