Wellshire Presbyterian Church: Sanctuary Choir and Pipe Organ


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WELCOME TO THE SANCTUARY CHOIR Fine choral singing is at risk in many of America’s churches today where small groups of soloists have largely displaced choirs in providing worship leadership. Consequently, the choral heritage that was born in the church nearly 500 years ago and nurtured there through the centuries is at risk of fading into obscurity. While not wanting to stand in the way of new growth in today’s church, we are committed to preserving the choral heritage and traditional hymnody of the church by retaining fine choral singing and congregational hymn singing in traditional worship at Wellshire Presbyterian Church. Our Sanctuary Choir of some 70 voices stands together in this pledge that fine choral singing in worship will not die on our watch. If your background includes beautiful choral music in worship, please consider joining us at Wellshire as we feast on the rich heritage of traditional choral music. Our choir is talented, well-balanced, and united in their Pursuit of Beauty through fine choral singing. You would be warmly welcomed into our singing community. Come join us!
Come join us in Pursuit of Beauty Sanctuary Choir Schedule (nursery available upon request) Sanctuary Choir Anthem Schedule Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal Schedule Sunday Morning Worship: Warmup at 10:15 AM Worship at 11:00 AM Our Conductor Michael Pohlenz, DMA, MM, BME •Director of Music Ministries, Wellshire Presbyterian Church •Founding Conductor Emeritus, Wichita Chamber Chorale •Assistant Conductor, Kantorei Our Accompanist Jane Ripper, MSM, MM, BM •Associate Director of Music and Organist, Wellshire Presbyterian Church •Principal Accompanist, Rocky Mountain Children’s Choir Contact mpohlenz@wpcdenver.org 303-758-2233, x122		THE SANCTUARY CHOIR and PIPE ORGAN The Sanctuary Choir at Wellshire Presbyterian Church is united in their Pursuit of Beauty in choral singing, whether through the 75 or so different titles they prepare each year for worship, or through the considerable number of major works they’ve performed together with orchestra. Beauty in worship and performance brings glory to God, and the Wellshire Sanctuary Choir is in Pursuit of Beauty. Musical leadership is provided by Dr. Michael Pohlenz, Director of Music Ministries, and Jane Ripper, Associate Director of Music Ministries and Organist, at Wellshire's fine 55-rank Casavant pipe organ. Membership in the Sanctuary Choir is open without audition and currently stands at 70. The choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings, September through June, in the Choir Room from 7-9 PM. The wide variety of style found in beautiful choral music enhances traditional worship at Wellshire. Classic anthems, motets, hymn arrangements and spirituals comprise a musical feast in praise of God, ranging from standard SATB voicing to music for women or men, 8-part and double-choir textures, and even finely honed 2-part and unison music, with accompaniment ranging from pipe organ to grand piano to orchestra to brass ensemble to conga drums to obbligato instruments to simply nothing at all. The choir excels at singing carols, anthems, and major sacred works with orchestra, recently including Bach’s Cantata 131, *Aus der Tiefe, Duruflé's Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem, Parts 1 and 3 of Handel's Messiah, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Mechem’s Seven Joys of Christmas, Rutter’s Magnificat, Saint-Saëns' Christmas Oratorio,* Susa’s Carols and Lullabies, and Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem and Five Mystical Songs. Now at home in their new Music Suite, the Wellshire Sanctuary Choir is achieving a place not only among Denver church choirs, but among Denver's finest choirs. If you believe as we do that “Beauty is a manifestation of triumphant life,” witness the vibrant singing of the Sanctuary Choir each Sunday in their Pursuit of Beauty at Wellshire Presbyterian Church. The Beauty Lover's Creed I believe in Beauty as the manifestation of triumphant life. I believe in looking for Beauty everywhere; watching for it, searching for it in the great and in the small, in the unusual and in the commonplace things of this wonderful world. I believe in working for Beauty always; planning for it, trying for it in the making of all that has to be made, and in the doing of all that has to be done. I believe in living the Beauty-ful life; a life in right relation to the lives of others and in harmony with the eternally unfolding life of God. ~Henry Turner Bailey (1865-1931)

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