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immanuel's music ministry

Minister of Music
Dr. Jerry Warren

Organist
Dr. Richard Shadinger

Music Associate
Marilyn Shadinger

Immanuel has a rich tradition of choral music. Our Adult Choir is a volunteer group dedicated to enhancing our worship services. It is led by Dr. Jerry Warren, who was the choral director at Belmont University for many years. His passion for choral music and the volunteer church choir is evident. His dedication to the group encourages regular attendance as well as best efforts.

Immanuel has three instrumental groups: handbells, brass, and strings. These groups rehearse weekly and contribute to the worship services by playing service music as well as accompanying the choir.

We have a Younger Children's Choir, an Older Children's Choir, and a Youth Choir. Most of these choirs are directed by lay leaders who are committed to the music program at IBC. The choirs lead services during the year, especially during Advent and at the end of the school year.





Mark Vick directs the Youth Choir




Our choral program offers non auditioned choirs for everyone from preschoolers to adults. The graded choirs for children, up through the sixth grade, teach them about music and choral singing. The Youth Choir sings occasionally in worship services and special programs.

The Adult Choir is the primary choir for worship services.
It has a leading role in special programs during the Advent Season, on Christmas Eve, and during Holy Week. The choir has also performed occasional summer concerts.

Our instrumental program offers a variety of ensembles: brass, strings and woodwinds, recorders, and handbells. All of these ensembles occasionally play in worship services on their own and as accompaniment to the Adult Choir. They have provided ensemble opportunities for our teen-age instrumentalists as well as adults.

Often the Immanuel Adult choir is accompanied
by Dr. Shadinger at the organ and our string or
brass ensembles.

Music Groups for All Ages

Choirs

Younger Children (Ages 4 - 6)
Rehearsal: Wednesday 5:00 p.m.- 5:45 p.m.

Older Children (Ages 7 - 11)
Rehearsal: Wednesday 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Youth (Grades 7-12)
Rehearsal: Sunday 5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Adult
Rehearsal: Wednesday 7:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Ensembles

Brass Rehearsal: Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
Handbell Choir Rehearsal: Wednesday 6:30 p.m.

To contact ensembles for weddings
or other performances call:

Brass - Beryl Vick at 615-646-6734
Handbells - Marilyn Shadinger at 615-385-3579

Dr. Richard Shadinger has been the organist at Immanuel since 1982, and a full-time professor of music at Belmont University since 1974. He is in charge of Belmont's carillon bell tower, one of one of only five carillons in Tennessee, and a unique historical feature of Nashville.

Click the picture of Dr. Shadinger to see a video of him playing the Belmont Carillon.

The Moller Pipe Organ


(Click picture for Ken Stein's Photos/
close pop-up windows after viewing )

The organ is Opus 10464 built in 1968 by the M.P. Moller Company for the church sanctuary. The three-manual console controls an instrument of 41 ranks (or sets) of pipes. The sound of the organ is enhanced by the warm acoustics of the sanctuary. The architect of the sanctuary worked with the organ builder to assure that the large exposed organ pipes add to the architectural interest of the chancel area. While not among the largest organs in Nashville, it is often thought of as one of the better worship service instruments, providing a wide range of sounds from the very quiet and meditative to the majestic sound of the full organ. In 2000 the organ console was rebuilt and equipped with the latest solid-state computer controls. The organ is an important part of the worship in a congregation which values the importance of music in worship. The full specifications of the organ can be seen at the website of the Nashville Chapter of the American Guild of Organists ( Go to AGO website | Full Specs page )

Ken Stein, local Nashville organist and photographer, has taken some beautiful photos of our Moller pipe organ. Please visit his site: Photography by Stein