Music & Arts First Congregational Church FALL 2026-Spring 2027
Welcome DIRECTOR OF MUSIC KAJSA TEITELBAUM
W
e are delighted that you are exploring our church, Sunday services, and the many ministries that make up our vibrant community. This brochure highlights the Musical Arts at First Congregational Church and all its different possibilities for you to participate.
At FCC, the Musical Arts are treasured and appreciated, and have been since our foundation more than 150 years ago. We honor creativity and inspiration with gratitude, cherishing the gifts God has placed among us. Just as our covenants are designed to welcome and honor everyone who enters our doors, we believe every person who wishes to participate in our music program has something unique to offer and is warmly invited to share their gifts. As the Director of Music, I want to offer a glimpse of what is available for you, both through musical events and during our Sunday morning worship. There are many ways to engage with music at FCC, whether as a listener, visitor, or active participant. In addition to our many ensembles and choirs participating almost every Sunday morning, we offer many musical events throughout the year, both with our own musicians, and also with community choirs and orchestras. Take a moment to explore what we offer and see where your interests and talents might find a home. I look forward to welcoming you at one, or many, of our weekly rehearsals or concerts. Sincerely,
Kajsa Teitelbaum Director of Music
Cover: Hazel Voida
Chancel Choir
at First Congregational
Chancel Choir Our adult choir welcomes anyone who loves to sing. Composed entirely of volunteers, we delight in making music together and sharing it with our congregation. Our repertoire spans from Bach and earlier works to contemporary compositions, offering a rich and varied musical experience. We sing regularly on Sunday mornings throughout the church program year, and once or twice a year, we present a larger choral work, often accompanied by orchestra and sometimes in collaboration with other choirs from the wider community. Thursdays 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Choir Room Kajsa Teitelbaum, Director of Music kajsa@firstcong.net
“If you’re seeking a way to routinely feel grounded, to strike a deep chord within your soul, and to do it with others under superb direction, then singing in the choir here is bound to do that for you. That’s what it’s done for me”. – Kent Fraser “Singing in the FCC choir under Kajsa’s direction is, itself, a religious experience. Performing church music is for me a pathway to a spiritual place and a connection to and with a greater reality. Music as theology”. – David Skaggs “It is satisfying to play such an important role in the congregation’s experience on Sunday mornings”. – Stewart Hoover
Congregational Bells at First Congregational
Our Congregational Bells Ensemble rings a 5-octave set of Malmark bells to play in worship once a month from September to May, ringing more often during the holidays, including at Jingle Mingle, our open house Holiday party following Boulder’s Lights of December festivities. Every year in the spring our ringers travel to participate in a regional ringing festival. Rehearsals on Tuesdays 5:30-6:45 p.m. Kajsa Teitelbaum, Director of Music kajsa@firstcong.net “Ringing with the bell choir is one of the highlights of my week. It is gratifying to be a part of a group committed to making the best music we can. Every person and every part is important. I enjoy the challenges, laughs, and shared experiences, especially with Kajsa to keep us on track!” – Susan Brinks
Reflection and Invitation – Elaine Vlidzius Did you know that the vibration from the organ moves the water in the minister’s water glass? When standing just in front of the pipes the vibration from the organ can be felt in your bones. It is amazing how music has a physicality to it that is not always apparent. The breath from a singer becomes a sweet, soul-filled melody, the quick snap of a bell ringers wrist translates into a clear tone resonating from the lip of the handbell. And the brass, I am not even sure how a human body along with a horn with its twists and turns of brass can produce the ethereal sound. It is a gift to be able to stand at the front of the church to play the bells on Easter Sunday. I can look out at this congregation that I have adopted and that is slowly adopting me as well. There is a joy on their faces that seems universal. Perhaps some are joyful because distant family are together again, because the spoken word reminds them of the fullness and grace of God, or because the music is stirring their soul. But whatever the reason the joy is visible, blatant. What a gift to be able to witness that. From my perch behind the bell table I can’t see the Easter flowers or the faces of the clergy but what I do see are the faces of people who, because God loved them first, will love me in return. Not because I have done anything for them, not because we are close friends but only because God loved them first. Someday, these faces may hold my hand in sickness or comfort me in grief, help me celebrate my joys or just walk alongside me as I and they struggle to live up to the example that Jesus has set for us.
Have you ever thought about joining the Chancel Choir or the Bell Choir? Do you want to see the water move?
I sometimes wonder about the relevance of church but it all makes sense when you can glance into the faces of others who believe that it is worth it to love one another as Jesus first loved us, who believe that service to others is a quiet tug from God to experience His love, who can hope for a God filled world because they know a thing or two about God’s grace.
More Musical Ensembles at First Congregational
Music is the heart of our worship and community life. Whether singing, ringing, or playing an instrument, there is a place for everyone to participate, learn, and share their gifts. No prior experience is needed, just an open heart and a love of music.
FCC Youth Bell Choir Rehearsals on Tuesdays 4:30-5:15 p.m. Our Youth Bell Choir meets on Tuesdays in the Sanctuary. Snacks are provided before rehearsal. This group for middle and high school students focuses on making music in a fun, nurturing, and safe environment. Open to anyone, regardless of previous musical experience.
Faith Singers Rehearsals on Sundays 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Julieta García Reyes – julieta@firstcong.net Directed by Julieta García Reyes, this ensemble invites youth in 6th grade through high school to explore a diverse repertoire, ranging from contemporary, secular, and sacred music to gospel and classical works. Faith Singers share their music monthly in worship and during special holiday services.
Joyful Littles Music Class Wednesdays 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Anne Martinez – anne.martinez@me.com Anne Martinez hosts two music classes for children ages 0-5, their parents, and caregivers in our church nursery. Join us at either 10:00 or 10:45 a.m. The nursery is open from 10:00 to noon for families and children to use before or after a music class. This drop-in group is free and available to the wider community.
Joyful Noise Rehearsals on Sundays 9:30-10:30 a.m. Julieta García Reyes – julieta@firstcong.net Directed by Julieta García Reyes and designed for children in K-5th grades, Joyful Noise makes singing an exciting, playful experience. Members learn to use their voices as powerful independent instruments, sharing their music on their own and occasionally collaborating with the youth choir for monthly performances and holiday celebrations.
FCC String Ensemble This is a project-based group which gathers to play in worship two or three times a semester. Any string musician is welcome. Our more experienced musicians mentor those with less experience. Kajsa Teitelbaum, Director of Music kajsa@firstcong.net
Silver Bells Rehearsals on Tuesdays 12:30-1:15 p.m. The Silver Bells Ensemble is for those who love to come together and make music in a fun and relaxed setting with rehearsals during the day. Come join us in the Sanctuary for the fun!
Wherever your gifts and interests lie, there is a place for you in the music ministry at FCC. Come sing, ring, or play with us!
Music Events
at First Congregational
Tuesday Lunch Concerts Every Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. FCC lunch concert series resumes on Tuesday (yes, we are moving to Tuesdays) September 15, at 11:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary. Bring your lunch to the concert and eat while enjoying a great variety of organ music played by Kajsa Teitelbaum. This is a weekly event, but it is always a good idea to double-check with the church calendar that it’s happening.
Those Who Sing Pray Twice An Evening of Prayer, Song, and Beloved Community Sunday, November 1, 5:30 p.m. Sanctuary and Online On the cusp of the midterm elections, anxiety and uncertainty can feel close at hand. We will gather for an evening of prayer, song, and reflection, renewing our faith and placing our trust in the God who holds us through every season. Through Scripture, silence, prayer, and song, we will make space for our fears and hopes, remembering that we do not face this time alone. The Boulder Chapter of Singing Resistance, directed by Merlyn Holmes, will join us, offering music that gives voice to our longing for justice, peace, courage, and a more compassionate world. Together, we will remember what endures: God’s presence, our shared calling, and the beloved community we are called to nurture and protect.
Sawyer Organ Concert Friday, November 6, 7:00 p.m. Our annual Sawyer Memorial Organ Concert is made possible by the generous donation from Jane Sawyer, our previous Director of Music and organist. This year’s artist is Clarion, an organ and trumpet duo that focuses on contemporary music. The organist, Melody Turnquist-Steed, is an active recitalist who has played at both regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists, and the trumpeter, Keith Benjamin, teaches at the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory, and has played concerts in almost every US state. Clarion has three recordings available, and their latest international tour in 2023 included England and Scotland. Swedish Lucia Celebration Friday, December 11, 5:00 p.m. Experience the beauty of a traditional Swedish Lucia procession. With candlelight, poetry, and music led by Lucia and her attendants, this beloved tradition brings warmth and light to the season.
Jingle Mingle Holiday Party Saturday, December 12, 6:00 p.m. A holiday party like no other. Families and their kids are invited to participate in the Lights of December Parade throughout downtown Boulder, and afterwards we gather for hot chocolate, treats, and a visit from Santa, all while listening to holiday music played by the Congregational Bells.
Music Events
at First Congregational
Advent Music Sunday December 13, 10:30 a.m. | Sanctuary and Online Each year on the third Sunday of Advent, our Chancel Choir and instrumentalists offer a major musical work to celebrate the season. This year, we present John Rutter’s Magnificat, a vibrant and joyful setting of the biblical Song of Mary. Composed in 1990, Magnificat reflects Rutter’s gift for memorable melodies, rich harmonies, and radiant orchestral color. Inspired in part by festive celebrations of the Virgin Mary in Latin American cultures, the work combines the grandeur of sacred choral music with rhythmic energy, exuberance, and warmth. Join us for this joyful musical offering during Advent.
Lenten Songs in the Wilderness: Thursday Evenings of Music and Prayer February 18 to March 18 6:00 p.m. | Sanctuary 6:40 p.m. | Soup Supper in Standish Room
Fauré’s Requiem: A Lenten Offering Each year during Lent, our Chancel Choir performs a major choral work, often a requiem. This year, we offer Gabriel Fauré’s beloved Requiem, a work of remarkable beauty, tenderness, and consolation.
Then, at 6:40, we will gather around the table for soup and conversation. Because sometimes the holy is found not only the music, but in the sharing of a meal.
Composed between 1887 and 1900, Fauré’s Requiem is unlike many settings of the traditional Mass for the Dead. Rather than dwelling on the terror of judgment, Fauré turns toward eternal rest, mercy, and the hope of paradise. Fauré described the work as being “dominated from beginning to end by a very human feeling of faith in eternal rest.” He saw death not as something to fear, but as a peaceful release and an aspiration toward happiness. In the midst of Lent, we invite you to hear this extraordinary music as a quiet proclamation of rest, grace, and hope.
Each Thursday evening in Lent, the Sanctuary will open for 30 to 40 unhurried minutes of music, Scripture, poetry, silence, and prayer. Piano, strings, bells – something different each week – will invite us to pause, listen, and make our way together through the wilderness of Lent. Music offered by members of our own congregation will lead us toward a quieter place, where beauty can be received and grace can be noticed.
Art Abundance
The McMane Art Ministry
Visual Art Exhibit: Abundance The McMane Arts Ministry, in collaboration with Mary Horrocks of Open Studios, presents Abundance. From August through early November 2026, Abundance explores the many meanings of richness, generosity, and plenty. Abundance is found in nature’s beauty, flourishing gardens, and bountiful harvests. It is also found in family, community, creativity, knowledge, compassion, time, and the countless experiences that enrich our lives. Through vibrant color, intricate detail, expansive landscapes, symbolic imagery, sculpture, and deeply personal narratives, the artists in this exhibition offer their own perspectives on abundance. Together, these works invite us to delight in the natural world, see the familiar in new ways, and notice the beauty that surrounds us. They offer a generous harvest of imagination and expression – a reminder that there is always more to see, more to notice, and more beauty to share. On view through early November Heritage Room and Chapel Hallway. Join us for the First Friday Art Reception on Friday, October 2, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Coming in November: First Congregational Member Art Show Creativity is alive and well at First Congregational! We are blessed with countless artists whose work inspires and delights us. We hope you will share your creativity in our Fall Member Art Show, on display from early November through early January. We will enjoy works from all media, including pastels, watercolors, oils, acrylics, drawings, photography, fiber, textiles and fabric – and the list goes on. There are no size limits, and larger pieces show very well. Please note that our hanging system requires artwork to have a frame with D-rings or hanging wire.
Interested in participating? Contact Melody Fuller – melodyfuller@comcast.net