First & Central Presbyterian Church is pleased to present a rich and diverse music program under the direction of David Schelat, our Minister of Music. The church offers a variety of modes of musical expression and entertainment to its membership and the Wilmington public alike.
Festival Concerts, Thursday Noontime Concerts, the Chancel Choir of First & Central, and the Center City Chorale are well-known and ongoing musical opportunities at First & Central.
Experience the wealth of musical offerings at First & Central!
The primary musical offering of First & Central to the downtown community is Thursday Noontime Concerts, which present weekly fall and spring concerts of free half hour programs at 12:30 p.m. These concerts are designed to present outstanding classical, jazz, folk, and multi-cultural music in a convenient location at a time that fits easily into the busy schedule of downtown workers and shoppers. The concerts are free, but a small donation of $2 per person is encouraged each week. This program is made possible, in part, by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Delaware Division of the Arts (a state agency committed to promoting and supporting the arts in Delaware), as well as support from WSFS and Bank of America.
Festival Concerts at First & Central are the church's series of full-length concerts that take place primarily on the weekends. This season, the schedule includes grand organ music on the Gabriel Kney organ, the Chancel Choir of First & Central singing two remarkable concerts, and guests the Serafin String Quartet and harpsichordist Tracy Richardson.
Your generosity enables First & Central Church to continue its mission of presenting excellent concerts to the Wilmington public at very affordable admission prices.
The Chancel Choir of First & Central, a select 24-voice choral ensemble in residence at First & Central Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware, is conducted by David Schelat. The ensemble is known for its beautifully blended sound, remarkably well-tuned singing, and insightful and exciting performances. It sings weekly for worship at First & Central, and performs frequent concerts throughout the season.
The Chancel Choir of First & Central has sung in concert such masterworks as the Requiem masses of Fauré, Duruflé, Desenclos, and Mozart, Mozart's Solemn Vespers of the Confessor and Coronation Mass, Handel's Messiah, Vivaldi's Gloria, numerous cantatas and motets of Bach, and Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb and Ceremony of Carols. Committed to new music, the choir has sung premieres of music commissioned by First & Central by American composers Bruce Neswick, Gerald Near, and James Bassi. In addition, the choir has explored a significant amount of multi-cultural choral literature, which it programs frequently.
The American Organist praised this ensemble’s singing as “superior … a convention highlight” in their 2007 appearance at the Region III convention of the American Guild of Organists in Baltimore, where their performance brought a capacity crowd to its feet.
The Chancel Choir rehearses on Thursdays beginning September 6, 7 - 9 p.m. in the second floor choir room, and is always open to new singers by informal audition. For more information, contact Minister of Music David Schelat.
The Center City Chorale is a 45-voice mixed SATB choir designed for and primarily made up of those people who work in Downtown Wilmington. The Chorale rehearses each Tuesday, 12:05 - 12:55 pm, from September 11 through mid May at First & Central. It normally performs during Thursday Noontime Concerts at the church. Music sung by Center City Chorale ranges from sacred to secular, from Bach and Mozart to music from non-Western cultures, spirituals, and vocal jazz. No audition is necessary, but a commitment to attend rehearsal each week is essential. For more information and a schedule, contact Minister of Music David Schelat.
Each Sunday, the children of First & Central are offered an opportunity to experience and learn about music as part of church school for all ages. All children meet with music educator, Julie Swanson for a period of singing and music making utilizing the church's collection of Orff instruments. The children showcase what they have learned during all-church gatherings where songs are sung, and staged presentations, punctuated by music, are offered for all to enjoy. In addition, they sing and play during worship a few times each year.
Groups from all over the greater Wilmington area find a welcome at First & Central for their musical events. Wilmington's First Night celebration has used the sanctuary as a venue since its inception, the Wilmington Children's Chorus, the Cathedral Choir of St. John, and the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware holds many of its formal concerts at the church, it is the rehearsal home for the Wilmington Children's Chorus, the American Guild of Organists offers periodic educational and fellowship programs, and musicians from the community regularly hold recitals and small concerts. For guidelines as to building use, please use this link to our on-line information or contact our Building Superintendent, Gerard Coleman.