Welcome to the source of our Space for Grace Concerts here at First Christian, Wilson.
Composed of primarily two Noonday Series,
this collection of concerts is meant to provide a space for
departure, meditation and renewal.
The Sounds of Summer Series at Noonday concerts
scheduled during the summer months.
The Advent Series, in it's 12th year, is a series of noonday concerts
every Wedneday during Advent.
All concerts are free and open to all.
Continue down to view our upcoming concerts, join our email list
and view those who have supported the series!
If you wish to give to this series, we welcome such donations!
Click the button below and in the 'memo' line, please designate "Music Series".
Composed of primarily two Noonday Series,
this collection of concerts is meant to provide a space for
departure, meditation and renewal.
The Sounds of Summer Series at Noonday concerts
scheduled during the summer months.
The Advent Series, in it's 12th year, is a series of noonday concerts
every Wedneday during Advent.
All concerts are free and open to all.
Continue down to view our upcoming concerts, join our email list
and view those who have supported the series!
If you wish to give to this series, we welcome such donations!
Click the button below and in the 'memo' line, please designate "Music Series".
Upcoming Concerts
The Sounds of Summer Series
A Noonday Series
Wednesday, July 13 | Vonda Darr, harp
Vonda Darr is currently the principal classical harpist for the North Carolina Symphony. She has been the principal harpist for the Augusta Symphony Orchestra in Georgia since 1993 and was principal harpist for the Augusta Opera for twelve years. She performs as substitute principal and second harp for the Nashville Symphony. She is a session harpist and is a part of the Nashville Recording Orchestra. She was the principal harpist for the Brevard Music Center Orchestra in 2021. As part of the NC Symphony, Vonda participated in the inaugural SHIFT Festival for American Orchestras, performing in both the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian Institution. As an orchestral musician, she has performed with musicians including Art Garfunkel, LeAnn Rimes, Ronnie Milsap, Amy Grant, Matthew Morrison, and Olivia Newton-John. She has also performed on the national tours of Broadway’s The King and I, My Fair Lady, and Weird Al Yankovic’s Strings Attached tour.
Vonda is an active chamber and solo recitalist. She performs as Duo Venandi with flutist Wendy Cohen, as the Vega Harp Duo with harpist Carolyn Munford, and is a founding member of the Lyra Vivace Chamber Ensemble. The Vega Harp Duo performed the world premiere of Miguel del Aguila’s Submerged for Two Harps in 2021. They commissioned the work Echoes from the South by Martin David Jones, with a world premiere performance at the American Harp Society national conference in 2022. Vonda performed with LACE (Living Art Collective Ensemble) at the National Gallery of Art in DC, has performed on the North Carolina Symphony Manning Chamber Series, and has been a frequent guest artist with Chamber Music Charleston. Vonda has also presented concerts for the Piccolo Spoleto Festival and for the American Harp Society National Conference. Vonda also loves performing pop and rock music and experimenting with effects pedals.
Vonda is the inventor of Pocket Harp Pedals, which is available in both a physical device form and an app. It is an interactive harp pedal chart, which is a universally used marking for pedal harpists. The product was launched in 2022.
Ms. Darr has recorded two solo harp CD's, Prayers Without Words and Hear the Angels: A Christmas Collection. Duo Venandi's debut CD Fantasie has been featured nationally on public radio through Classical 24.
Vonda is an active chamber and solo recitalist. She performs as Duo Venandi with flutist Wendy Cohen, as the Vega Harp Duo with harpist Carolyn Munford, and is a founding member of the Lyra Vivace Chamber Ensemble. The Vega Harp Duo performed the world premiere of Miguel del Aguila’s Submerged for Two Harps in 2021. They commissioned the work Echoes from the South by Martin David Jones, with a world premiere performance at the American Harp Society national conference in 2022. Vonda performed with LACE (Living Art Collective Ensemble) at the National Gallery of Art in DC, has performed on the North Carolina Symphony Manning Chamber Series, and has been a frequent guest artist with Chamber Music Charleston. Vonda has also presented concerts for the Piccolo Spoleto Festival and for the American Harp Society National Conference. Vonda also loves performing pop and rock music and experimenting with effects pedals.
Vonda is the inventor of Pocket Harp Pedals, which is available in both a physical device form and an app. It is an interactive harp pedal chart, which is a universally used marking for pedal harpists. The product was launched in 2022.
Ms. Darr has recorded two solo harp CD's, Prayers Without Words and Hear the Angels: A Christmas Collection. Duo Venandi's debut CD Fantasie has been featured nationally on public radio through Classical 24.
Wednesday, July 27 | Timothy Price & Casey Childers
Piano & Organ
Piano & Organ
Wednesday, August 10
Matthew Joyner, tenor
Dexter Ruffin, piano
Matthew Joyner, tenor
Dexter Ruffin, piano
Wednesday, August 24
Robert Morehead, organist
Robert Morehead, organist
Robert L. Morehead, CAGO is the Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church in Wilson, NC and is a native of Pittsburgh, PA. Robert began his organ studies in Germany and counts Tassilo Schlenther, Anita Greenlee, W. Robert Morrison, and Stephen C. Williams among his instructors. For over thirty years, Robert has held Director of Music positions in churches in the United States and in Germany including most recently Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Vienna, VA. Robert received his MM in Music History from West Chester University and his BM in Organ Performance with a Piano Teaching Certificate from Malone University.
He has also earned a research award for his work on Ralph Vaughan Williams’ agnosticism and is a specialist in the organ jazz music of Dr. Joe Utterback. Robert also holds four certifications: A Piano Teaching Certificate from Malone University, The Service Playing and Colleague certificate from the American Guild of Organists and The Leistungsnachweis (D-Schein) from the Evangelische Kirche in Germany. He was also conductor of the Washington Saengerbund and has released four CDs: From Mendelssohn to Morehead (2008); Faith Musings (2009); Christmas Piano Improvisations (2014) and Jubellation (2016). He has also recorded the complete organ works of Antonin Dvořák.
Recently, Robert has finished recording organ arrangements of African-American spirituals by Dr. Joe Utterback and is looking to release this recording later this year. Robert is happily married to his wife Miranda and considers his two children, Kieren (12 years old) and Lauryn (6 years old) a blessing. (www.rmorehead.com.)
He has also earned a research award for his work on Ralph Vaughan Williams’ agnosticism and is a specialist in the organ jazz music of Dr. Joe Utterback. Robert also holds four certifications: A Piano Teaching Certificate from Malone University, The Service Playing and Colleague certificate from the American Guild of Organists and The Leistungsnachweis (D-Schein) from the Evangelische Kirche in Germany. He was also conductor of the Washington Saengerbund and has released four CDs: From Mendelssohn to Morehead (2008); Faith Musings (2009); Christmas Piano Improvisations (2014) and Jubellation (2016). He has also recorded the complete organ works of Antonin Dvořák.
Recently, Robert has finished recording organ arrangements of African-American spirituals by Dr. Joe Utterback and is looking to release this recording later this year. Robert is happily married to his wife Miranda and considers his two children, Kieren (12 years old) and Lauryn (6 years old) a blessing. (www.rmorehead.com.)
Contributors
Our deepest gratitude is extended to all who have helped sustain
these concerts through their generous donations.
This series is continued solely on this gifts!
Listed below are for the fiscal year January 2022-December 2022.
these concerts through their generous donations.
This series is continued solely on this gifts!
Listed below are for the fiscal year January 2022-December 2022.
Contributor
Supporter
Benefactor
Paul & Betsy Brewer
Donor
Dan Shingleton