Music Ministry
Worship Service
FCCW CHOIR, led by Faye Chen, director of music, pianist, organist
Nenad Ivovìc, professional pianist, director of instrumental music
scroll down to meet our own fccw music directors
First Church of Christ Woodbridge Board of Music
Skip Borgerson Constance Ecklund Betty Fearon Joan Rifkin
Faye Chen Sue Stoddard
Ethel Crosby
Meet Our Amazing Music Directors!
Director of Music: Faye Chen
Director of Instrumental Music: Nenad Ivovic
Faye
Chen
Faye Chen has been a professional pianist and organist for many years. She is extremely talented, lending a soulful vibrancy to any variety of music she plays. In addition to being an outstanding instrumentalist, Faye also directs both the voice choir and the handbell choir. Her hard work and dedication shines in all who share in the music.
Nenad
Ivovic
Nenad Ivovic is an old soul in a 26-year-old body who channels the music of centuries to a 21st century audience. Much like the European instrumentalists of old, who switched from one instrument to another, the recent Yale graduate in piano performance took on a job as church organist at First Church of Christ, where he enriches their Sunday worship by accompanying their traditional hymns on the organ, but occasionally turning to the piano to set the tone.
Featured Guest Musicians
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Daniel Giebisch (Cello)
Daniel Giebisch an award winning cellist that hails from Woodbridge, CT. He attended Harvard University where he performed with the acclaimed musical group, "Din and Tonics". He is proficient in classical music as well as orchestral translations of pop, classic rock and other modern genres. He enjoys outdoor activities with friends and performing as a soloist and with
other instrumentalists, both locally and while on tour.
Paul DeCoster(Guitar)
Paul DeCoster is a classically trained guitarist who has found his musical calling in being a singer/songwriter with Progressive Rock influences. He writes about matters of the heart and spirit, and he is currently working on some new music for release this summer.
Inkyung Alison Oh
(Violin)
A native of South Korea, Inkyung Alison Oh, is a violinist based in Minneapolis. Inkyung is the Grand Prize winner of the Young Artist Competition by Minnesota Sinfonia in 2016, finalist of the Young People’s Symphony Concert Association Concerto Competition by Minnesota Orchestra as the only violinist, and prize recipient of various competitions including Thursday Musical Scholarship Competition and Schubert Club Scholarship Competition.
As a violinist, Alison has participated and performed in numerous festivals including Virtuoso & Belcanto (Lucca, Italy), Pienza International Music Festival (Pienza, Italy), and Bravo! Summer String and Keyboard Institute (Minneapolis, MN). As a Lehnarts, Joseph Jong, Mathias & Ronnaug Dahl Memorial scholar, she received a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where she studied with Sally O’Reilly (2020).
A
Musical
Gift
Pictured above: Constance Cryer Ecklund, Skip Borgerson, Faye Chen, Ethel Crosby, and Sue Stoddard
A new member of First Church has just arrived and been set up in its new home! It is with thanks, great appreciation, and joy that we announce installation in the sanctuary, to the left of the altar, of a lovely mahogany baby grand piano, the wonderful gift of Dr. Robert Giebisch and his sister, Christine Giebisch Mohrer. This beautiful instrument, given in loving memory of the late Dr. Gerhard Giebisch and his wife, Ilse, joins our current upright in color, tone, and anticipation of many happy performances. It can accompany the choir, shine on its own, or with the concert upright enjoy duos together. The words from everyone as it was put into place were: it looks as though it was made for the spot! Faye Chen, Choir Director and Handbell Leader, along with Nenad Ivovic, Director of Instrumental Music, are already both looking forward with much anticipation to the important role this grand piano will have in our exceptional music ministry. It will be tuned in August, thus allowing it time to become acclimated to the sanctuary. All we need is for the Covid-19 pandemic to calm down and permit us all again a chance to perform, to listen, and to sing. –A happy message from the Board of Music: Sue Stoddard Chair, Skip Borgerson, Faye Chen, Ethel Crosby, Constance Cryer Ecklund, Betty Fearon, and Joan Rifkin.
Choir and Handbell Choir
Past and Future Rehearsals
Adult Choir rehearsals are on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m.
Bell Choir rehearsals are on Mondays at 7:30 p.m.
If you are interested in joining either group or just want to give it a try, we invite you to join us in the choir room adjacent to the sanctuary.
Instrumental Music
We are always looking for musical guests to
enrich our worship!
A Musical Selection from Sunday, January 24, 2021
Faye Chen accompanies choir members and soloists, Al Jarvis and Roger Calistro as they perform
"Here I Am Lord" by composer, Dan Schutte. Enjoy!
Listen to Hymns
Our Choirs are planning to sing and play these hymns as soon as we can. Until then, please enjoy the music from our website.
Wishing you peace in the midst of chaos, moments of reflection in isolation and moments of community across the distance.
-Faye
Hymns 4/20/2020
*Press on the one of the links below to listen.
Easter Week Hymns
https://www.hopepublishing.com/W1312_HYMN_OF_PROMISE
https://www.hopepublishing.com/W2716_JOY_IN_THE_MORNING_WITH_HYMN_TO_JOY
https://www.hopepublishing.com/W3358_HE_IS_ALIVE
https://www.hopepublishing.com/W3948_CHRIST_HAS_ARISEN_An_Easter_Introit
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