There is a rich musical tradition at the First Church. Our music is unusually varied and beautifully executed by our music director Kathryn Rosenbach and distinguished quartet, accompanied on a fine tracker organ built expressly for the church. Sunday services include preludes, postludes, prayer responses, anthems and psalm settings chosen from mainstream organ and choral works, the composers ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary periods. The musical selections for each Sunday are based on the themes of the ecumenical common lectionary scripture readings for the day, the first anthem reflecting the psalm, and the second the readings. Our hymns come from the UCC Pilgrim Hymnal and are often familiar ones. Twice a year members of the congregation join the quartet to form a family choir, and instrumentalists augment the service from time to time. Recently we have supplemented the music program with occasional Taizé vesper services another special musical events are planned.
Kathryn Rosenbach Music Director
Kathryn Rosenbach is known for her performances as a pianist and organist, as well as choral conductor, composer and teacher. She has been a church music director for more than 40 years in various denominations. Kathryn graduated from SUNY Buffalo with a BFA and MFA, received an artist diploma from the Accademia di Chigiana in Siena, Italy and has pursued doctoral studies at the Eastman School of Music. She has always been involved with singers of all levels and loves to work with opera singers.
Christina Grandy de Oliveira Soprano
Christina is a native of Easton, Massachusetts. She holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory and a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Boston University. She has sung various roles with many local opera companies, and sang with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus from 2010-2018. She has been a member of The First Church Quartet since 2006.
Lucy Martindale, Mezzo Soprano
Lucy Martindale is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance with an Emphasis in Opera at Boston Conservatory. They hope to pursue a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance but also have a background in choral conducting and composition that they hope guides them in their music career. Martindale is particularly passionate about social advocacy through the arts and hopes to be a part of musical outreach programs after graduation.
Sam Crosby-Schmidt Tenor
Sam Crosby-Schmidt is a Boston-based tenor and composer originally from Woodbury, MN. They hold a Bachelor of Music degree from University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, and are currently in their second year of the Master of Music program at Boston Conservatory. They are passionate about performing new works, as well as music by composers with marginalized identities.
Guanghao Yu, Baritone
Guanghao is a baritone and choral conductor based in Boston. He studied conducting and voice at Williams College, where he directed the college choral program during 2020-2021 as a student. He is currently the assistant conductor and a singer for the Longwood Chorus in Boston. Guanghao works as a clinical research coordinator at Boston Medical Center.
Taize
Taizé is an ecumenical, participatory, contemplative prayer service of song and silence in the sanctuary. Short, meditative songs that are repeated become a way of listening to God, allowing everyone to both share a time of prayer and sustain personal prayer. Through these songs, we may continue to pray even when we are unaware of it, in the silence of our hearts.
The Organ
The church’s tracker organ (a pipe organ with mechanical linkages) was built and installed by Darren Wissinger in 1991. A major tuning and revoicing was undertaken in 2005.
Our Hymnal
The church’s hymnal is The Pilgrim Hymnal (1958 ed., 19th printing, 1974). It was chosen from among many options, including Singing the Living Tradition (UUA) and The Harvard University Hymn Book (Harvard Memorial Church). During Sunday services, the hymnal is occasionally supplemented by hymns from other sources.