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Music is integral to the expression of faith at Christ Church. Our Adult and Family Choirs as well as the Christ Church Handbell Ringers add a joyful dimension to our 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service and other special events. At the center of it all is our spectacular Casavant organ, which is one of the great treasures of Christ Church. Guest musicians join with our organist during special services such as Christmas Eve and Easter Sunday to fill the sanctuary with festive music. 

Upcoming Music Performances at Christ Church

May 20 at 3:00 p.m. - Organ Lecture-Recital with Dr. Leon Crouch, III

In association with the Elmira Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, Dr. Leon W. Couch III will perform and discuss major Baroque German organ works, particularly those by Bach's regarded teacher, Dieterich Buxtehude. He will perform such well-known masterworks as the stately Praeludium in D Minor, BuxWV 140; the famous Prealudium in C Major, BuxWV 137 "(Prelude, Fugue, and Chaconne in C"); and the brooding Praeludium in F# Minor, BuxWV 136. In addition, he will present works based on hymns tunes (Chorale Preludes and Variations) by J. S. Bach, Buxtehude, Böhm, Pachelbel, Scheidemann, Bruhns, and other Baroque masters, as time permits. The audience will be invited to ask questions during and after the presentations. For more information and links to Dr. Crouch's recordings and publications, visit his website. Recognized nationally for his scholarship and teaching since 1993, Dr. Crouch presents organ recitals, masterclasses and lecture-recitals throughout the United States. This lecture-recital is open and free to the public.

June 3 at 4:00 p.m. - Joint Benefit Recital by Musica Spei and Dr. Mariko Morita, Christ Church Music Director & Organist
Musica Spei (Music of Hope) is a Rochester-based a cappella choral group specializing in rarely-performed, sacred choral masterworks of the medieval and renaissance periods. The concert on June 3 will feature the world premiere performance of Veni Sancte Spiritus (Come Holy Spirit), a commissioned work for unaccompanied choir by Rochester native Carson Cooman. Music from nine centuries fills out this diverse and adventurous concert. Follow the Veni Sancte Spritus "Sequence" text on an epic historical journey right up to the present day as it is set to music by composers as varied in epoch and style as Dufay, Byrd, Mozart, Janacek and Lauridsen. This "Sequence," a traditional Latin prayer of thanks and celebration, is read or chanted immediately before the gospel proclamation on Pentecost Sunday. Always celebrated 50 days after Easter, Pentecost commemorates the dramatic descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus in the form of tongues of flame. Rehearsing and performing unaccompanied and without a conductor, the group develops its interpretations in a collaborative fashion, communicating and interacting in a manner not unlike the members of a jazz or chamber music ensemble. Christ Church organist Mariko Morita joins Musica Spei for several of the pieces, and will present her own organ variations on the Gregorian chant melody. Admission is free, but free-will donations are encouraged. All monies raised will be shared equally by Musica Spei and Dr. Morita, who will donate her portion to support the Christ Church choir.