Music

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Interim Choir Director ~ thru December 31, 2023
Austin Norrid has been with us since Sunday, September 3, directing our Chancel Choir and Handbell Choir. Austin is working on his PhD. In Music Education at Penn State and anticipates graduating in May of 2025.   He has been a Bass section leader at St. Andrews Episcopal Church and worked as a high-school music teacher in Louisville Kentucky while earning his master’s degree. 

Thank you, Austin for helping us through this period of transition!

Our New Director of Music Ministry
We are delighted to announce that the search for the new Director of Music Ministry has been successfully completed! Heike Burghart Rice has accepted the position and will begin on January 1, 2024. She will be our organist, will direct our Choir and Bell Choir, and lead our LOGOS worship skills program. She has served as the Music Director of the University Baptist & Brethren Church of State College since 2021 and has served as the head of music ministry programs in three other churches. She served as the Minister of Music at Summerside United Methodist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Woodbrook Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland. She then served as the Director of Music Ministry at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hinsdale, Illinois. We are indebted to the members of the search committee for their diligence and hard work. They considered a variety of candidates who responded to a national search for the best candidate to lead our music ministry in the coming years.  The members of the Search Committee are Dick Bundy, Laura Robinson, Ann Layng, Paul Mortimore, Carol Graham, and Tori Robinson.
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As we move through the holiday season, our music ministries are well supported by our Interim Choir Director Austin Norrid and Interim Logos Worship Skills Coordinator Aaron King. We have been blessed by their leadership during this transition and will take an opportunity during our morning worship on December 24th and the 4:30 Christmas Eve service to thank them for their service. Throughout December we are also fortunate to have Dr. Anthony Leach as our organist for morning worship and Christmas Eve services. Dr. Leach is an Emeritus Professor of Music Education at Penn State University and the Director of Essence of Joy.

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Music at SCPC ~ We want you to know a few things about our Music Ministry and invite you to participate.  We subscribe to the "Y'all come!" school of auditioning, no auditions are used with any of our music groups.  If you have the interest and can make the time and the commitment – you're welcome!  We'll do our best to help you along and make sure you blend in with the group.

We also try to program an eclectic mix of music.  Eclectic means "Selecting or employing individual elements from a variety of sources, systems, or styles" and we would take that one step further and say that we try to select the best music from a variety of sources and styles.

For the purposes of our Music Ministry, the word "adult" means people who are of high school age, college age, and any age beyond.  Our music is better when the musicians are a blend of ages, experiences, and tastes.


Chancel Choir (Adults)
​Our Chancel Choir meets on Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 pm (September - May) and leads worship at our Sunday morning services almost weekly during the program year.   We sing an eclectic mix of music.  Understanding your busy lives, we have a liberal attendance policy for rehearsals and Sundays.  All interested adults (see definition above) are invited.  Currently, we do not have childcare available, but would be delighted to arrange childcare if the need arises.


Handbell Choir - Watch for Details Regarding Start-Up of Handbell Choir
Handbell Choir start up is TBA.  September-May and learn music to ring in worship.  A little music reading helps but is not a requirement!  We are proud of this ensemble's mixture of ages and town and gown.  All interested adults (see definition above) are welcome!

For more information, contact the church office at 814-238-2422.

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Candlelight Choir
Traditionally, each December, we hold a Candlelight Choir Service.  Instrumentalists - If you are interested in playing in an instrumental group or if you would be interested in playing a solo for a prelude or offertory, please contact us to discuss the possibilities at 814-238-2422.

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Our Hybrid Organ
The installation of our hybrid organ was completed in 2012 as part of the Building Restoration Campaign.  In addition to the 1800+ pipes that we have had since 1967, many new digital sounds have been added to the organ.  This qualifies it to be a "hybrid."  The console may be moved to the center of the room to better hear the sounds as they "voiced" the entire organ.    Voicing gives each organ sound its unique qualities, balances each organ sound with the other organ sounds, makes the sounds fit the room, and gives the organ character.