[ updated February 22,2021 ]                Click ABOVE (in the Menu ) for anthem lists and practice recordings, bulletins, etc. ↑

[Temporary webmaster is Kim Brookman at kim@hickoryfpc.org]

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“Click on anything that is BLUE .”

  

 Chancel Choir Corner 

.                             Faure Requiem Info 

                             FPC Requiem Recording.

WEATHER STATEMENT:  [In the event of significant weather, a message will appear here.]

 

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*****     Current Announcements     *****

 

If you come by the choir room,  you will find several thank you  notes on the bulletin board.

This might also be a good time  to take your choir robe home and clean it up.  It is probably feeling lonely and rejected by now !

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.A note from our Director —   February 19,2021

Dear My Favorite Choir,

     Thank you for all that you have done and all that you have been over these years.

     I was listening tonight to David Phelps sing his wonderful gospel song “We Shall Behold Him” and Mark Lowry sing his song “Mary Did You Know.” The Scriptures teach that we see God in the face and lives of those around us — God’s own image.  

     For seven years, I have experienced God in you folks; I am the better for it.   Thank you !

     May God be kind and gracious to you in the years ahead.

             Steven

.A note from our Director —   January 19, 2021

To “My Favorite Choir”,

When we had 2 teenagers running around our house, we frequently heard the song   “I’ve … had … the time … of my life.”  That song has been heavy on my heart this week. 

We have had almost seven wonderful years together, making beautiful music which we pray has pleased God.

Now, with an escalation of health issues and a decrease of stamina, I need to leave you and concentrate on other things.

Know that you will always be the ONLY  “My Favorite Choir”.  Your love, your friendship, your dedication, and your absolutely-amazing ability to lift choral music to the rafters and then beyond to the gates of heaven will remain with all of us as the strong bond we share. It was beautiful !

“I’ve … had … the time … of my life.”

Thank you, my friends !  Thank you, God, for making it possible.

.         My friends, be safe. Stay well. Pray fervently. Sing your heart out !

.               Shalom,

.                     Steven

 P.S. The recordings on soundcloud.com will remain available to you because it is my personal website.  The webpages at choir.hickoryfpc.org belong to FPC.

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 Lots of Music     ⇓⇓⇓  BELOW  ⇓⇓⇓    for your listening

______Our Music ______

Click on the triangle to listen.

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 .      1  “Sounds of Spring”

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.       2  “Sounds of the (Dan) Forrest”   

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 .     3 “Sounds of Voices Alone” 

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.     4 “Sounds of Strings”

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.      5 “Sounds of Protest”

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.      6 “Sounds of a Forrest Christmas”

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.      7 “Sounds of The Quarantine Blues “

. An original 2020 covid blues number composed by Martha Hill and performed by Stone’s Throw, A Classical Celtic Trio. 

.      8 “Sounds of  Benedictions and Goodbyes”

.    Rutter – The Lord Bless You and Keep You    11-17-2020

.     .     FPC Brass, arranged and accompanied by Steven Mowery, Organ

.   Pachelbel – On God and not on Human Trust  10-28-2018

.     .     Chancel Choir & Choral Scholars, for The Presbytery of Western NC

.   Miller – I Choose Love 1-19-2020

.     .     Chancel Choir & Choral Scholars

.     .     Text by Martin Luther King, Jr., Martha Hill, piano

.   Lutkin – The Lord Bless You and Keep You  6-2-2019

.     .     The Chancel Choir

.   Mowery – Love Thee Even More  11-19-2020

.     .     TTBB Choral Scholars

.   Rutter – The Lord Bless You and Keep You 2-23-2020

.     .     Chancel Choir & Choral Scholars, Martha Hill, organ

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.   —– Some more of “Our Favorites” —– 

My Soul Is a Witness — Althouse 

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How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place — Brahms  

[Rachel, Luke, Tim, Sally, Mary, Martha]

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This Is My Father’s World —  Hagenburg      Luke Benton, violin

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Hallelujah Chorus from MESSIAH — Handel

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Rock of Ages — Hoefler

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Jesus Christ Is Risen Today — Congregational Hymn

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In Joseph’s Lovely Garden — Mowery

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A New Commandment — Robertson

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The King of Love My Shepherd Is — John Rutter

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Sing to the Lord a New Song — Schutz    Choral Scholars

 

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.   —-  Music from Christmas 2020 —-

 

1. Cantata — Lessons and Carols — December 20, 2020

. To hear the entire Cantata, click here:  

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Here is the listing of anthems and service music for our Cantata.  All of the music was pre-recorded over 8 weeks.  The Cantata includes 14 different anthems/solos/instrumentals, presented by 10 differently-configured groups of 27+ musicians. It has not been easy, and we greatly miss the beauty and stability of our 40-voice Chancel Choir, but this is the only way right now to present a Cantata that is safe for everybody. We in the music department of our church hope our efforts will lead you to worship The Christ Child and give thanks for the generosity of God for the bounty of talent that is ours.  May this Christmas be a blessed one for you and for those whom you love.  Merry Christmas !

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LESSONS and Carols
4:00 Prelude / Hymn	Hymn O Come All Ye Faithful	from December 2019
Welcome, Announcements, Recognitions, etc
12:15 Offertory	Hymn: Once in Royal David’s City
15:11 Cantata Introit	What Child Is This?	The FPC Brass Choir
15:58  John 1:45-46	A Babe Is Born in Bethlehem	Choral Scholars
17:50  Isa 40:11 & Mt 11:28-29	Messiah: He Shall Feed; Come unto Him	Nancy Toy & Sophie Sauer
22:48  Isaiah 40:5	A Sunburst of Glory	Choral  scholars
27:07  Luke 1:26-33,38	Magnificat	Trivocal
32:25  Matt 2:6	Hymn: O Little Town of Bethlehem
35:20   Luke 2 :1-7	Hymn: Silent Night (with German)
39:08	Children of the Heavenly Father	Tone Chimes
40:38   Luke 2 :19	Mary, Did You Know	Greg Smith
44:35   Luke 2:8-14	Angels We Have Heard on High	Stone’s Throw
49:13   Matt 2:1-5,9-11	These Three Kings	Choral Scholars
53:51   John 1:1-5	All Is Well	Choral Scholars
Benediction
57:43   Response	Hymn: Hark the Herald Angels Sing
59:37   Postlude	Toccata in G Major by Pachelbel	Martha Hill

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.2     Stone’s Throw:  Old Christmas   

It is such a pleasure having Stone’s Throw as a part of our music program frequently. Here is a tape of their “Old Christmas” concert as presented in Burke County in January, 2021.   Thank you, Ladies !

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Introductory Info:  Click HERE : https://soundcloud.com/user-847133094/old-christmas-11221

To listen to Stone’s Throw Program, Click HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BE9TceH1S4&feature=youtu.be 

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.3 Hickory Choral Society

We are privileged to be such an important part of the Hickory Choral Society !  Mary Texer is both the Accompanist for the HCS and also a strong leader in our FPC Alto Section. At least 6 other FPC Chancel Choir members are members of the HCS also.   Therefore we are pleased to post this 2020 Christmas Concert from the Hickory Choral Society.

Click Here :    https://www.facebook.com/100881343289697/videos/378112099628306

 

.4   LR Trumpets

Ian Elkins and Ethan Farkas, two of our 2020-2021 FPC Choral Scholars, proudly present these recordings of their LR Trumpet Studio Ensemble for your listening pleasure and devotion.

  Click here: https://animoto.com/play/D4zP9QkIKYS7Avq7YQGT9Q?autostart=1

.Copyright
Five Christmas Carols  arr Dennis L Horton, 1993
Elan Brass Impressions 463 East Deerfield Rd.
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858

Lenoir-Rhyne University Trumpet Ensemble
Amelia Coger, Hudson, NC
Ian Elkins, Lincolnton, NC
Ethan Farkas, Lincolnton, NC
Taylor Moore, Valdese, NC
Coleman Warner, Lincolnton, NC
Tim Phillips, Instructor

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.5    LR Christmas

Here is the LR Music Christmas Program in Grace Chapel. The program includes some newly-recorded music and some memories from previous years.

Click here to listen:   “A Lenoir-Rhyne Christmas 2020”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv6g6E8uIpU

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Some videos of places we miss — 

 

 

 

 

 

Our music librarians have been working overtime !  Look at this !

 

 

 

 

Dear Favorite Choir,                                                             December 20, 2019 

There was a quiet in the sanctuary at the end of the Dan Forest “Silent Night.”  I could feel that the congregation had stopped thinking about a hundred earthly troubles, and, for just a few moments, had joined with our songs in offering praise and thanksgiving to God for the great gift of His Son.   Sometimes I do wonder if we “get it across” to the congregation; but last Sunday, I was confident they were “with us.”

And the best part (which I knew and you knew but the congregation did NOT know) was that we had three more top-notch anthems coming up which would raise the celebration and prayer levels even farther:  The Lloyd Prautsch “Dance of Adoration # 7, the Mary McDonald “He Is Born,” and then the great congregational hymn, “O Come, All Ye Faithful” with all of its brass and strings and percussion and organ and singers and especially those singing the descant on the final stanza.  At that moment I knew that you and I were in the right place at the right time doing the right task which the Good Lord had assigned to us — and doing it so beautifully !

I know I talk a lot and sometimes you just roll your eyes and ignore it, but listen carefully to this:

      …… YOU SANG AND PLAYED BEAUTIFULLY ……

       And I am very proud to be your Director of Music and Choirmaster !   Thank you !

Steven

12-20-2019

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 .                For a full set of our anthem recordings, go to soundcloud.com and search for the stevenmowery with the light green safari hat. The recordings are open to the public, so you may and can invite your friends and family to enjoy them also. 

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Please note:  All of this process is quite legal; we pay an additional CCLI fee each year which is passed along to the composers and performers of the recordings we use on this website.