Click above for a preview of this year’s Concert Series!
The Many Moods of Christmas
Featuring: Pinellas County Center for the Arts Choirs, First Presbyterian Church Chancel and Handbell Choirs, and Guest Singers from the Tampa Bay Area
Friday, December 15, 2023, at 7:00 PM
Join us as we celebrate the miracle of Christmas through this beloved annual concert bathed in candlelight. Student musicians and dancers from the Pinellas County Center for the Arts join with the First Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir and community singers to continue this holiday tradition and support St. Pete Free Clinic. If you would like to donate online, you can click HERE.
Solo Organist, Bradley Welch
Featuring: Bradley Welch
Sunday, January 7, 2024, at 4:00 PM
Bradley Hunter Welch is increasingly in demand as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and collaborative artist. He is the 2003 First Place winner of the Dallas International Organ Competition and was also awarded the Audience Prize for the second time, having previously won it in 2000.
He has taught at Southern Methodist University and Baylor University and was Director of Music & Arts at Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, TX from 2009-2014.
A native of Knoxville, TN, Dr. Welch holds the Doctor of Musical Arts, Master of Musical Arts, and Master of Music degrees, as well as the coveted Artist Diploma from Yale University where he studied with Thomas Murray and Martin Jean. He also holds the Bachelor of Music degree from Baylor University where he studied with Joyce Jones.
“To invoke an old Southern expression, Bradley Hunter Welch plays the organ like nobody's business. Between the virtuosity of the playing and the easy-going spoken commentary, he also proved that 'entertainer' and 'organist' needn't be mutually exclusive. It would be hard to play Widor any better than this....splendidly idiomatic and communicative.” ~Dallas Morning News
An offering will be taken for First Presbyterian Church Concert Series.
St. Olaf Choir
Featuring: St. Olaf Choir
Saturday, February 3, 2024, at 7:00 PM
The St. Olaf Choir, founded in 1912, has been singing for capacity audiences in major venues across America, and around the globe for more than 100 years, sharing the finest sacred choral repertoire, inspiring people of all faiths, garnering immense critical acclaim, and setting new standards for choral excellence.
“When they opened their mouths to sing, an even wall of sound emerged: words clear, notes true. But more than that, the notes were felt .... (The St. Olaf Choir is) good because of its remarkable balance and mellow tone .... It’s good because of its dynamic shadings: its ability to sustain, then build from, nearly inaudible pianos, or to distinguish between a forte and a fortissimo ... Dr. Anton Armstrong, the group’s leader since 1990, is clearly a gifted choral director – and a teacher to the core.” ~ The New York Times
This is a ticketed event (proceeds will go to St. Olaf Choir): $40 for adults/seniors, $10 for all students. Tickets are available online HERE or by calling 1-800-363-5487.
The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay
Featuring: The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay
and Guest Speaker from the Florida Holocaust Museum
Friday, March 1, 2024, at 8:00 PM
In collaboration with The Florida Holocaust Museum, The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay invites you to explore excerpts of Anne Frank's diary in a performance of James Whitbourn's Annelies. The program also features the world premiere of a commissioned work by Nico Gutierrez.
Praised by music critics from local media as "one of the country's finest choirs," “an amazing instrument,” and a “cultural treasure,” The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay has consistently delivered some of the most profoundly moving music performances in the area.
This is a ticketed event. Please purchase your tickets in advance through the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay (click HERE or call 813-355-9609).
From Matthew Clear, Director of Traditional Music at First Presbyterian Church:
It is my pleasure to share the 2023-2024 Concert Series! The eclectic performances this year will explore a variety of instruments, genres, and artistic styles. Thank you to our sponsors who make these performances possible for our congregation and community. It’s going to be an exciting year!