Five Not-To-Miss Music Events for the Fall at St. Mark's

As summer comes to an end, our Festival Choir and St. Mark’s Ringers are getting ready to resume their regular rehearsal schedule.

We have plenty of room for singers in the choir. All voice parts are welcome, but we have a special need for sopranos and altos.  This year the Festival Choir is changing its rehearsal time from 7:30 to 7:00. Rehearsal will be over at 8:30.

On Wednesday night we work on choral singing skills, music for the liturgy, psalms and hymns, and music for the musical offering.  The ability to read music is helpful, but not required. (As you become a regular in the choir, you’ll find this skill will improve!)

If you have any questions, please contact Tony Cruz or any choir member.

One of our most popular events each year is the San Marco Chamber Music Society’s annual benefit for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. Eric and Ellen Olson, artistic directors, plan a varied program of composers and musical styles.

In these concerts, Eric and Ellen are joined by an assortment of seasoned professional musicians.

Each year the players change, but the top-level playing does not. Don’t miss this concert!

It has been five years since St. Mark’s organ was expanded. Since the expansion, we have been able to present a number of concerts by very fine organists – and this year is no exception!

Zach Klobnak is the former Music Director of our neighbor, All Saints Episcopal Church. His concert bio follows:

Dr. Zach Klobnak is College Organist and Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. He is also Director of Music and Organist at the Presbyterian Church of Danville, where he directs the music program, administers the “Music on Main Street” concert series, and plays the church’s Taylor & Boody pipe organ.  A native of Iowa, he holds degrees from Luther College (BA), the University of Florida (MM), and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (DMA), where he held the Brownson Fellowship for organ studies.  His principal organ teachers include Dana Robinson, Laura Ellis, and Gregory Peterson; he has also studied harpsichord with Kathryn Reed and choral conducting with Donald Nally, Fred Stoltzfus, and Timothy Peter.  Zach is an active recitalist, a member of the American Guild of Organists and the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, and studied French organ literature and design in Paris and in the Alps region of France.  He has previously held church music positions in Illinois, Florida, and Iowa.

We love doing events with our full communion partners at All Saints Episcopal

Church. This year we have been invited to join with them in a celebration for All Saints Day.

All Saints Day, every November 1^st, is a celebration of remembrance for all the saints, known and unknown, that we have lost. In All Saints’ beautiful, candlelit sanctuary, the choirs and clergy of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and  All Saints Episcopal Church offer a variety of hymns, anthems, and spirituals to lift up and inspire. All are invited to light a candle, offer prayers, and take part in this special service of outstanding choral music.

St. Mark’s long-standing tradition of Bach Vespers continues. All experienced choral singers are welcome to participate! Please contact Tony Cruz for further information.