Music program
		Moravian congregations around the world share a deep appreciation for beautiful music, supported by the work of the Moravian Music Foundation. Raleigh Moravian Church continues this vibrant musical tradition, with several choirs, a brass band, a trombone choir, and a wonderful 1902 Adam Stein pipe organ.

Introduction

Our Worship services regularly feature band and organ preludes and postludes, strong congregational singing, anthems by one or more of the choirs and guest soloists. Musicians often comment on the wonderful acoustics in our Sanctuary. This page includes information about our:

Choirs
Brass Band and Trombone Choir
Instruments

Choirs

The senior choir is open to all adults and young people interested in sacred choral music. The choir rehearses Thursday evenings at 7:30 and Sunday mornings at 10:25. The repertoire is diverse, offering both beginning singers and experienced performers the chance to sample many different styles.

Selections may include anthem settings of familiar hymns and spirituals, Renaissance motets, and selections from familiar oratorios, chorales, and new works. In recent years, the choir has performed the Christmas section of Handel's Messiah, portions of Bach's Passion of St. John and Passion of St. Matthew, and Vivaldi's Gloria. The choir frequently performs anthems from Moravian composers, known for almost 300 years as fine musicians.

The Morning Stars Choir for children in kindergarten through fifth grade performs several times each year, including Advent, Christmas Eve and Easter season. Rehearsals are 9:15 most Sunday mornings. The Evening Stars adult a cappella ensemble, Men's Chorus, Women's Choir, Youth Choir and Family Choir offer occasional performances throughout the year.

Contacts:
Catherine C. Hamner - Director of Music, Organist, Senior Choir Director
William O'Brien - Director of the Evening Stars, Men's Chorus, and Youth Choir Director
Debra Etheridge - Morning Stars Director

Brass Band and Trombone Choir

In the Moravian Church, particular emphasis has been placed on the development of the Band. This emphasis continues at Raleigh Moravian Church.

Brass Band

The Raleigh Moravian Brass Band is composed of fathers, mothers, sons, daughters and grandchildren within the congregation. The Band is a mixed wind ensemble consisting of clarinets, oboes, flutes, trumpets, cornets, french horns, trombones, euphoniums, and tubas. The current Band at Raleigh consists of approximately 30 active members.

The Band is an integral part of our services. Although the Band takes a special interest in Church Festival occasions (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Palm Sunday, Passion Week, Easter, Pentecost, 4th of July, August 13th, Church Anniversary, and Thanksgiving), the main purpose of the Raleigh Moravian Band from week to week is to play a prelude on the church lawn that announces to the community the beginning of the Sunday morning worship service. The Band is also committed to supporting funeral services of members within the congregation. However, the Band may be best known for its part in the Easter Sunrise Service. The Raleigh Moravian Band plays tunes throughout the community on the Eve of Easter to remind all listeners of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. On Easter morning, the Band plays all music for the entire Sunrise Service, a portion of which is played antiphonally.

Trombone choir

Our Trombone Choir consists of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass trombone players. We currently have 17 active trombonists.

The trombone choir was an integral part of many early Moravians' church services and events, dating back to the early 1700's. Indeed, the oldest continuously performing wind ensemble in the United States is a Moravian trombone choir. As valved instruments gradually became more popular, trombone choirs faded into history. Very few trombone choirs exist today; a few Moravian churches, and several universities, keep the tradition alive. We feel very blessed to offer authentic trombone choir music for occasional worship services and events at Raleigh Moravian. We welcome any member who plays trombone (or wishes to learn -- see Band lessons, below).

Band lessons and practice times

We are privileged to offer beginning band lessons in the Sanctuary each year. Beginners of all ages are welcome; in fact, many of our current Band members learned as adults! If you have your own instrument, please bring it. If you do not have an instrument, we will be happy to help you find one. Contact Hubert Fort for more information.

Band practice for more experienced musicians is usually held several months before each Easter and Christmas season.

Trombone Choir practice is held occasionally throughout the year.

The Raleigh Moravian Band and Trombone Choir is dedicated to playing to the Glory of God.

Contacts:
Hubert Fort - Band Director, Trombone Choir Director
William O'Brien - Assistant Band Director
Joan Burri - Assistant Band Director
Barb Prillaman - Assistant Band Director, Yahoo! Group admin for the Band
Tom Coppedge - Trombone Choir admin

Instruments

At Raleigh Moravian, we accompany the Choir, congregation, and our small ensemble groups with various instruments, including a pipe organ, a piano, brass and woodwinds, and occasionally, violin, cello, guitar and harpsichord.

Pipe organ

Music from our pipe organ fills the Sanctuary every Sunday morning. We use the organ for Worship services, marriage ceremonies, and for occasional concerts. In 2003 we celebrated the organ's 100th birthday!

For the organ buffs out there, here are the organ's specifications: