The Holiday Music of Pepper Choplin and Mary McDonald
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall
Join DCINY Composer/Conductors Mary McDonald and Pepper Choplin in an evening celebrating the holiday season, including the World Premiere of “Festival of Christmas”, a new work by Mary McDonald.
Acts
Pepper Choplin, Composer/Conductor
The Holiday Music of Pepper Choplin
Mary McDonald, Composer/Conductor
McDonald: Festival of Christmas (World Premiere)
Featuring Distinguished Concerts Singers International
Also Featuring:
Heather Lake Bays, Soloist
Participating Groups
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Addison, IL, USA
King's Grant Presbyterian Church Virginia Beach VA
First United Methodist Church Uvalde (Texas/United States)
The Cocoa Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir
New Covenant UMC Chancel Choir
St Joe United Methodist Church Chancel Choir Fort Wayne, Indiana
Alpharetta Methodist Chancel Choir
Huguenot Road Baptist Church Chancel Choir
Mount Zion United Methodist Church Chancel Choir, Cornelius, NC
Beaver Valley Choral Society, (Pennsylvania)
Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church
Trinity Baptist Church Celebration Choir
Chancel Choir, Wallingford, Connecticut
Polk Street United Methodist Church Choir
Special Guests
Artist's Name
Mary McDonald
Artist's Name
Pepper Choplin
Artist's Name
Heather Lake BaysPress & Marketing
Click an item below to expand
Click the image to downloadParticipating Group Directors
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Addison, IL, USA
Diane Hannibal
The St. Paul Kantorei has been the adult choir at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Addison, IL for many years. The church began in 1906, with the current building built in 1908. Today, it is a small choir of 10-15 members, and an integral part of its own support system, through prayer for each other and those around us in need. They are dedicated to providing an enhanced worship experience through music for the congregation, including cantatas, tenebrae services, and special services.
King's Grant Presbyterian Church Virginia Beach VA
Janet S. Phelps
Janet S. Phelps has served as Music Director for King's Grant Presbyterian Church for 41 years. She has led three adult music ensembles and three handbell choirs. Recently retired, the church has named the Wick's Pipe Organ after her and has also given her the title of Music Director Emerita in recognition of her excellent service.
The Sanctuary Choir of King's Grant Presbyterian Church is a dedicated group of musicians that has offered their God-given talents for meaningful worship beyond the notes on the page. We had the good fortune and privilege of having Mary McDonald lead us in concert at our church in 2019. We also celebrated and sang FESTIVAL OF CHRISTMAS in 2021 with choirs and orchestra. It is our joy to be here in NYC to sing this beautiful work.
First United Methodist Church Uvalde (Texas/United States)
DIANE UNDERWOOD & ART SUTTON, Co-Directors
Diane Underwood and Art Sutton have been acting Co-Directors of the Chancel Choir for First United Methodist Church Uvalde since their former director of 25 years, Susan Lovelace-Gerrish, passed away in August of 2021 due to complications from COVID-19. Art and Diane have been members of this choir since the early 2000s. This is their fourth trip to sing at Carnegie Hall and appreciate this opportunity. Diane teaches Computer Science courses for Southwest Texas Junior College in Eagle Pass, Texas. Art Sutton co-owns the Uvalde Photo business with his wife, Nancy.
The First United Methodist Church Uvalde Chancel Choir is currently comprised of 30 members and enjoys making music together on Sunday mornings. This is the choir's fourth trip to Carnegie Hall with 7 of its current members singing this time along with 3 former members who no longer live in Uvalde. They, also, brought with them 3 family and 1 friend who enjoy singing and wanted to sing in this beautiful venue. The FUMC Uvalde Chancel Choir is well known in the Uvalde Community and sings for many community events.
The Cocoa Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir
Sarina Wolfgang Zaremba
Sarina Wolfgang Zaremba was born into a career Navy family who was moved around the world. She began learning music at the age of four, and has continued to play piano and perform vocally throughout her years. She earned First Alto in High School in Japan, and has performed for Multiple Marine Corps/Navy Flag Officers and dignitaries. She holds a Bachelors of Music Education and Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Winthrop University, South Carolina. She is the current Director of Music at The Cocoa Presbyterian Church and manages her personal music studio: The Wolfgang Academy of Music.
Choral music has been a strong tradition for many years at Cocoa Presbyterian Church (est. 1958) on the Space Coast of Florida. We are a congregation of the PC(USA). Being close to beaches and the Kennedy Space Center attracted much growth to the area in the early days of the church. A lovely sanctuary was constructed and dedicated in 1968. The choral program began early in the church’s history and is still active today, having taken a brief hiatus due to Covid-19. We are excited and proud to bring our members to sing at this concert in Carnegie Hall!
New Covenant UMC Chancel Choir
Sean A Pollock
Sean Pollock serves as Director of Worship at New Covenant United Methodist in The Villages, FL. He holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts with emphasis in vocal performance and collaborative piano from The University of Memphis, the Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Arkansas State University and is completing a DMA in Collaborative Piano at The University of Memphis. He has served in full-time ministry at United Methodist churches across the Southeast US since 1995. As an accomplished collaborative pianist, Sean has accompanied The New Orleans Children’s Chorus as well as All State and Region choruses in Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and Arkansas. He served as pianist for numerous theatrical and opera productions including The Mississippi Opera, Opera Memphis, The University of Memphis, Georgia State University, and Arkansas State University where he conducted the Men’s and Women’s Choruses. A member of American Choral Directors Association and National Association of Teachers of Singing, his students consistently were selected as members of the national honor choirs and finalists at NATS vocal competitions. Sean served as R&S Chair of Worship for Arkansas ACDA.
The Chancel Choir is the core of worship leadership each week at New Covenant United Methodist Church. The 120-voice choir performs several times a year for seasonal worship services, community events and concerts. Since the church’s inception over two decades ago, members of the chorus have performed at Carnegie Hall (NYC) as well as international festivals. New Covenant is vibrant church in heart of The Villages, FL, the largest planned community in the US. The Villages, a 55+ community for retirees, offers an extensive list of clubs and organizations and residents include musicians from all types of lifelong careers.
St Joe United Methodist Church Chancel Choir Fort Wayne, Indiana
Bethany Ellingwood-Wind
Bethany has been serving in a leadership capacity of church choirs, bell choirs, children's choirs, and orchestras since 1989. She has served as the Director of Choirs at St Joe UMC in Fort Wayne since 2012. She also plays piano and flute, and provides accompaniment each Sunday morning for the traditional worship service. A graduate of Millikin University with her degree in Music/Business, Bethany also owned and ran her own print music store and is currently employed with Sweetwater Music as their print music specialist in Fort Wayne.
The St Joe Chancel Choir has had a long time history of choral excellence. This group loves to sing, pray, and call each other family. After 3 postponements, we have finally made it to Carnegie Hall. The St Joe Chancel Choir is beyond excited, blessed and honored to be a part of this concert.
Alpharetta Methodist Chancel Choir
Barbara Holbrook
Barbara Holbrook, Director of Music at Alpharetta Methodist Church, Alpharetta, Ga., has a degree in Music Education with a choral emphasis from East Carolina University and did graduate work at Georgia State University. She has served as a music director in two large churches in the Atlanta area for almost 40 years.
Alpharetta Methodist, in Alpharetta, Georgia, has a long history of having a strong traditional choir, with over 40 years under the leadership of only 2 directors. In addition to performing in Sunday morning worship services, the Chancel Choir offers several outstanding performances throughout the year, including an annual Christmas Concert that draws attendance from throughout the community.
Huguenot Road Baptist Church Chancel Choir
Phillip Dean Brown
Phillip earned a Bachelor of Music degree in choral and orchestral conducting from East Carolina University in 1984; he did Special Studies in Conducting at Julliard and with Peter Tiboris at Avery Fisher Hall in 1987; he earned a Master of Music degree in Conducting from SBTS 1988; and made his Kennedy Center conducting debut in 2019. Phillip has conducted choirs and ensembles in Hong Kong, South Korea, Mexico, Austria, Germany, and Belgium. He has conducted at the historic Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg VA, the National Cathedral and the National Christmas Tree in Washington DC, at St. John the Divine Cathedral in NY, and at St. Paul's Church at Ground Zero in NY. This will be Phillip's third time singing in Carnegie Hall. Phillip has served as Music Minister for six churches beginning at age fifteen and is currently serving at the Huguenot Road Baptist Church in his thirty-first year. Phillip is married to his wife Lisa, and they have two grown children, 'Lissa and Brandon. Phillip is a long-time friend of Composer/Conductor Mary McDonald and her husband Brian and is blessed to be able to sing at Carnegie Hall under Mary's direction. Soli Deo Gloria
The Chancel Choir is the main worship leading choir for Huguenot Road Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. In addition to leading worship each week, this ensemble performs seasonal concerts - three times under the baton of Mary McDonald; has toured both domestically and internationally; and combines regularly to help mentor our student and children's choirs. This choir has also engaged in singing masterworks such as Handel's 'Messiah", Rutter's "Gloria", Schubert's "Mass in G", and Mozart's "Requiem". And, on top of all of that, this is the most fun choir on the planet!
Mount Zion United Methodist Church Chancel Choir, Cornelius, NC
Shelley Griffin Little, Director
Shelley Little has been the Director of Music Ministries for Mount Zion UMC for the past 8 years. Prior to that position, she has served in other churches as pianist/music director and has been teaching piano/voice lessons for 40 years. She also accompanied (as pianist/soloist with an orchestra) a travelling 45-member choral group, Magnify, for 20 years, which is how she met her wonderful husband, David, who sings tenor. Shelley and David live on Lake Norman in Davidson, NC. However, they enjoy their small cabin in the mountains of NC a couple of days each week with their precious pup, Tucker.
The Mount Zion United Methodist Church Choir has 35 members. The choir provides music for the traditional worship services each Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and for additional special services throughout the year. There are many members of the group who have been in the choir at Mount Zion for decades. We have 14 singers and 17 folks total with us for this trip to Carnegie Hall, and we are honored to be here!
Beaver Valley Choral Society, (Pennsylvania)
Sharon R. Burchill, Director
Sharon Burchill conducts and teaches in Middle, High School, and Church. Sharon served on the faculties of Westminster College, Duquesne University and Point Park University and directed Coro Latinoamericano and Bach choirs of Pittsburgh. Touring Europe and North America, including Ecuador, Canada, France, and Italy, she performed with Sarah Brightman, Dave Brubeck, Joe Negri, and Tim Roberts. Holding a B.S in Music Education and an M.M.Ed., Duquesne University, Sharon was a 2018 inductee into the Beaver Valley Musician’s Hall of Fame, and the 2004 recipient of the Young Conductor Award by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.
Celebrating its 100th Anniversary, the Beaver Valley Choral Society continues its legacy as a Christian Faith-Based, non-denominational, inter-generational choral and orchestral arts organization presenting vibrant concerts throughout western Pennsylvania. The Principal Adult, Chancel, Treble Choirs, and Adult Orchestra are the active ensembles dedicated to inspire, educate and enrich their members and the audiences they reach. Each ensemble strives for performances of the highest musical standards while focusing on the compelling spirituality of their musical repertoire. Recognized for its excellence, the Society supports music education and community outreach through partnerships in a Summer Music Academy and an annual Christmas Carol Sing.
Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church
Pepper Choplin
Pepper Choplin is a full time composer, conductor and humorist. He has gained a reputation as one of the most creative writers in church music today. Beginning his music training at the age of four, he grew up singing and playing piano, trumpet, guitar and banjo. With a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, he went on to earn a Master of Music degree in composition from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
With a diverse musical background, Choplin incorporates varied styles such as folk, Gospel, classical, and jazz. His published work includes over 275 anthems for church and school choir with 19 church cantatas and a book of piano arrangements. Over 100 groups have commissioned him to write original works for them. An original hymn, "Come to the Water" appears in the recent hymnal, Celebrating Grace. His anthems consistently appear in the top seller lists of publishers and distributors. Since 1991, his choral music has sold several million copies. Each week, thousands of singers present his music in churches and schools in the United States and around the world.
In 2013, he made his Carnegie Hall debut in a joint concert with Joseph Martin. His Lincoln Center presentations include Our Father in 2015 and Go Sing It on the Mountain in 2016. He visits many schools, churches and conferences to conduct and to entertain. Beyond his choral music, Choplin has produced two humorous CDs and an inspirational recording. In his solo concerts, he moves audiences with his powerful ballads and his clever humor.
Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, NC was established in 1988 and is a member of the Presbyterian Church USA is located on Falls of Neuse Road in North Raleigh. We are a Stephen's Ministry congregation. Our mission is to be passionate disciples, ministering in a changing world, together. Sunday School is at 9:30 and Worship is at 10:30. A very active Youth program meets on Sunday evenings. Our music program consists of a Contemporary Band, Children's Chimes, The Bells of Saint Andrews (for adult hand bell ringers) , Children's choirs and the Chancel Choir, which is participating in the Carnegie concert.
Trinity Baptist Church Celebration Choir
Grant E. Stanley II
Grant Stanley is the Pastor of Worship and Missions at Trinity Baptist Church in Mooresville NC, is the father of two High School boys, Corwin and Thomas Stanley, and husband to Jana Stanley. Mr. Stanley was the former Pastor of Music and Missions of Forest Hills Baptist Church of Wilson NC. He was also the former Minister of Music and Minister of Youth Education and Activities of First Baptist Church of Newberry SC. He is currently serving at Trinity Baptist Church of Mooresville and directs a 30-voice choir. He is preparing a return missions trip team to serve at The Good Shepherd Children’s Home in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. He is a member of the North Carolina Baptist Singers and Orchestra. He enjoys spending time with family, watching DUKE Basketball, and fishing on Lake Norman.
Trinity Baptist Church Celebration Choir is from Mooresville NC. The Choir has been in existence for for about 12 years. We have an ensemble of about 12 representing our home choir of about 40 singers. We sing a variety of styles of music to include: Southern Gospel, Sacred, and Contemporary Worship. This is our first trip as an ensemble to New York and we are excited to sing "The Seven Noels" with Pepper Choplin at Carnegie Hall. To God Be The Glory!
Chancel Choir, Wallingford, Connecticut
Jeanette Gross, Minister of Music
Dr. Gross is the Minister of Music at the First Congregational Church in Wallingford CT where she directs the musical group including the Chancel Choir represented here today. The choir has performed many of Pepper Choplin's compositions as well as major classical works and musicals. Dr. Gross has a DMA in organ from the Hartt School of Music and plays the organ st services.
Those representing the Chancel Choir today are long time members of the choir and have performed Pepper Choplin's compositions as well as major classical works. They lead worship through song every Sunday morning.
some hold memberships in other musical organizations--the Handbells Choir and an a cappella group Silk n' Sound
Polk Street United Methodist Church Choir
George Biffle
Dr George Biffle has been a choral Director for 55 years with a two-year break in the early 2010s. He has taught in the Amarillo school system (Austin Jr. High, AHS), Amarillo College, McMurry Univ., U of Western Alabama, and WTAMU in Canyon, as well as Director of the Amarillo Symphony Chorus. He is presently serving as the Director of Music Ministries at Polk Street UMC in Amarillo.
He and several church choral directors founded the Amarillo Civic Chorus as an outlet for community singers to explore more varied choral compositions while the Amarillo Symphony Chorus wasn’t meeting regularly. The Civic Chorus began as a summer choir and expanded to meeting weekly at Amarillo College with the wonderful support and encouragement of Dr. Dale Roller, long time Amarillo music teacher and AC music department chair for many years. Subsequent directors have encouraged and promoted the Chorus (Amarillo Master Chorale) into the fine musical organization that it is today.
Dr. Biffle is an active hunter, fisherman and golfer and
resides in Canyon, is married to Nancy, and together they have nine children and thirteen grandchildren.
Our Polk Street Sanctuary choir has always been committed to performing with excellence to offer glory and praise to our Lord, since 1890. We hope to continue our musical tradition in New York city sharing with other selected choirs our love of sacred music and our love of God.