Trinity Presbyterian Church, located on Route 70 in the township’s Barclay-Kingston neighborhood, will be celebrating 30 years of lifting up the hearts of the faithful through music in the coming year.
Trinity will feature three concerts between October and March, each with a unique theme. The first is planned for Friday, Oct. 25, when the Cherry Hill Men’s Chorus takes its dive into a wide array of musical selections, from choral works to lighter fare.
“What’s exciting about this year is that we’re starting off with this new group, which is only about 2 years old. Young men from all over South Jersey are singing and it has grown, started by the music director at Cherry Hill West. It’s fun that we’re kicking off the 30th season with a local group. I believe the ‘lighter fare’ will be music that is more familiar, but not necessarily in the pop vein,” said Lisa Marcelli, Trinity’s director of music.
The second concert is expected to commence on Friday, Dec. 6, as the Tri-County Symphonic Band will present its slate of holiday-themed tunes to bring those in attendance into the spirit of the season.
“We’ve been really fortunate that this group had played for us every other year for the last five years. They are the resident band at Camden County College, and each time out they play a wonderful concert of holiday tunes. With at least 40 players in the band, it’s a rousing, fun evening ahead. We have this concert at the beginning of December as opposed to later in the month to get the public fully into the swing of the season. They’re going to put on a really fun, engaging concert,” Marcelli explained.
Finally, The Rachmaninov Trio will present its broad classical repertoire on Sunday, March 1. Featured works from Haydn, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Bach as well as the titular artist will be undertaken by cello, flute and piano accompaniment.
“They are indeed the heavy hitters, so to speak. The members of the trio either are, or have been, members of the Philadelphia Orchestra who have played in its Chamber Concert Series. The idea behind the cello, flute and piano format is one of playing in a more traditional, classical vein,” Marcelli said.
Marcelli has been serving Trinity for the past 20 years in a variety of roles involved with music, but has been music director for the past eight. Working with a variety of musical interests and people of all ages, she said it can be like a three-ring circus.
Trinity features choirs comprised of children, youth and adults, three separate bell choirs, a ukulele band, the music featured in each year’s concert series, as well as another concert series scheduled for Wednesdays during Lent.
“For the concert series specifically, there’s a committee whose goal it is to have a series each year which is diverse in presentation, with a greater emphasis on having local groups perform over the last four or five years,” Marcelli revealed.
Marcelli further stated that, from a whole church standpoint, music selections arise from a mixture between what she’s looking for as well as suggestions and preferences of the clergy. From the standpoint of the music director, Marcelli tries to find a balance so that musicians are most comfortable in performing closest to their interests.
All concerts are free and open to the public, with light refreshments provided following the completion of each.
For more information about the church itself, visit: http://www.trinpres.org/. For more information about the times, dates and performers in the concert series, contact Marcelli at church offices at (856) 438-2050 or at lisa.marcelli@trinpres.org.
