Christmas Celebration Organ Concert and Carol Sing

Welcome everyone to the annual Christmas Celebration Organ Concert and Carol Sing, a gift of love to all from the members of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Concord. The Organ concert will feature our Organist, Susan Armstrong and the wonderful 1904, 3000-pipe Hutchings-Votey organ that fills the church with its wonderful music.. The Concert and Carol Sing this year will be held on Sunday December 21st, at2PM. This year’s concert will be in two parts. The Organ Concert will start us off at 2, followed at 2:50 by a short break. Then we will begin the Carol Sing with a Solo by Kathy Andrle of the carol O, Holy Night. after which everyone is invited to join in the Christmas Carol Sing. The last carol we sing will be Silent Night, accompanied by our Organ Accompanist and Guitarist, Michael Sklader, and flautist Regina Colvin. The program will conclude around 3:30, with an open invitation by Susan and Michael to tour the Organ.

Absolutely ALL are welcome to come and enjoy the program with us!

The centerpiece of the event will be our Organ Concert. And of course the instrument is only as good as its master and player, and we are so blessed to have Dr. Susan Armstrong return as our Maestro and organist for this event. Armstrong has a career in mastery of the Pipe Organ, teaches at New England College, and is director of the NEC Chorus. She studied with Anton Heller in Austria, with Michel Chapius in France, and has performed widely in Europe, Canada and the US. Her repertory includes organ and orchestra works including world premiers. Her Recitals and Concerts have been recorded and broadcast by both local and NPR stations. She is a member of the AMC 100 Highest Club of New England. We are so blessed and grateful to have had Armstrong as the Organist at the Concord Christian Science Church for 7 years. Her concert selections will certainly lift us into the Christmas Story.Dr. Armstrong will be accompanied by Michael Sklader as a duet organist for some of the pieces in her program. Michael will play his guitar for our last carol, Silent Night, accompanies by Regina Colvin on the flute. Skladerhas vast and recent experience on the Hook and Hastings Organ, playing on that piece at Portland Street Baptist Church in Haverhill MA. He has studied at the University of Krakow in Poland, and has performed in concerts all over New England.

New to the program this year, we will have the pleasure of a wonderful solo of O Holy Night by Kathy Andrle. Andrle has blessed our church with her voice as one of our two regular soloists for several years. Her solo will give us a sampling of the healing and uplifting nature of God’s very own invention: Music!

These wonderful presentations will be followed by a little “Audience Participation”, with a lovely Christmas Carol Sing. The Christmas birth story, read from the Bible by members, will interplay with our singing the Christmas Hymns from our Hymnal. Then we will end the Carol Sing by singing Silent Night accompanied by Michael and Regina. After the program ends, Susan and Michael will host anyone who is interested in a close up tour of the organ.

The Church’s Chimes will play at 1:50 PM as a welcome to all in the community before the concert at 2PM. The church auditorium has seating for hundreds, assuredly accommodating all of your friends and fellow citizens in the greater Concord region.