Music at First
First Presbyterian Church has a vibrant music program including the First Presbyterian Choir and the First Presbyterian Handbell Choir led by Music Directors Marnie Giesbrecht and Joachim Segger, and Assistant Music Director Graham Fast.
Hear and sing with our 1909 Casavant Organ, restored in 2007, as well as with our grand pianos. Vocal and instrumental solos are also frequent parts of worship at First Presbyterian Church.
We welcome new members and encourage anyone interested to contact one of our music directors. The choir meets on Wednesday nights from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm, and on Sunday mornings at 10 am before the 11 am service. The handbell choir meets on Wednesday nights from 6:15 pm to 7:15 pm, and on Sunday mornings at 9:30 on days when they will be ringing in the service.
Our regular congregational and community concert activities include the annual Christmas Choir Concert and the Traffic Jam series.
Contact information: info@marniegiesbrecht.com; info@joachimsegger.com; gpfast@ualberta.ca
Our Music Directors
Marnie and Joachim began as Joint Music Directors in November, 2003. We have been blessed to work as a team and to have Rev. Harry Currie sing in the choir from the start, which has insured close communications and mutual support of music and ministry at First Presbyterian Church.
As church musicians we are committed to drawing on the rich repertoire of choral and organ/piano music to enhance and contribute to our Christian worship. The choir is an essential part of our worship services and leads the community in congregational singing. We draw from all periods and genres of music, concentrating on hymns and anthems that are theologically rich and have musical integrity. Most of the hymns we sing come are from the Book of Praise hymnbook of the Presbyterian Church of Canada which has excellent sources including global hymnody. We supplement the keyboard (organ and piano) instruments with brass, woodwinds, strings and bells.
Marnie Giesbrecht and Joachim Segger, a married couple, are the uniquely versatile and innovative keyboard team Duo Majoya that has circled the globe performing keyboard duets in all combinations. The duo has performed their distinctive repertoire of commissioned, original and arranged works on community and university concert series, at conventions and international organ festivals. Commissions include more than twenty pieces for organ duet and organ/piano by Canadian and international composers; Duo Majoya records a broad range of keyboard duet repertoire on CDs and YouTube videos.
Enthusiasts and advocates for the development of organ music in Edmonton and Canada through leadership roles in the RCCO and other regional and national musical organizations, Giesbrecht and Segger also serve the Edmonton community as music directors at First Presbyterian Church. The duo was inducted into the Edmonton Cultural Hall of Fame in June, 2014 for their individual careers and exceptional work as Duo Majoya. In July, 2015, Giesbrecht and Segger became Honorary Fellows of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. For more information please visit www.duomajoya.com.
Our Choirs
The First Presbyterian Choir
The First Presbyterian Choir leads the musical portions of worship services weekly in First Presbyterian Church under the direction of our Music Directors. We sing a broad variety of sacred music, from historic to gospel and contemporary, with organ, piano and other instruments as well as acapella. We work hard and our rehearsals are lots of fun. New members are welcome and should contact one of our Music Directors to find out the best times to join throughout the year. (info@marniegiesbrecht.com; info@joachimsegger.com)
The First Presbyterian Handbell Choir
The First Presbyterian Handbell Choir meets weekly under the direction of Marnie Giesbrecht and Assistant Music Director Graham Fast. We ring a variety of music, primarily based on hymns and liturgical themes. New members are welcome and should contact one of our Music Directors to find out the best times to join throughout the year. (Info@marniegiesbrecht.com; gpfast@ualberta.ca)