Music
Music Events Organist/Choirmaster
The Emmanuel Choir consists of members of our parish who range from junior-high youth of advanced musical talent to adult members of all ages. The choir prepares two anthems each week for the 11:00 A.M. Sunday Eucharist. The choir’s repertoire encompasses the full-spectrum of sacred choral literature, from Renaissance motets and lush English anthems, to American Spirituals and works which incorporate mystical modern harmony. Additionally, the choir prepares at least two major works per season in the celebration of All Saints Day and in spring concert. The Emmanuel Choir is also the musical body which leads our beautiful Evensong services. Membership in the choir is open to any interested individual, although a brief audition for proper placement is required. Rehearsals are held each Wednesday evening from 7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. in the Choir Room. Please contact Dr. Homer Ashton Ferguson III, Choirmaster, for more information.
St. Cecilia Choir – This ensemble of young voices is directed by Dr. Homer A. Ferguson III. Open to children ages 5 – 12, this choir follows the pedagogy of the Royal School of Church Music through the use of the Voice for Life training program. Acclaimed as one the finest choral training methods, Voice for Life provides a clear framework that instructs singers in basic musical skills, proper choral production, and the dynamics of belonging to a group. Our program also focuses on the importance, the impact, and the context of the choir in the community.
Voice for Life provides a structure which allows for the training of singers regardless of their ability, be they beginner or advanced. Through the use of various teaching material, singers work on clear targets as they strive for steady development. Ribbons and medals are used to award singers on the completion of the various levels of achievement.
As music and our children are important aspects of our worship life at Emmanuel, we invite all interested youth to be a part of this choir. Besides the musical training, membership in the St. Cecilia Choir provides another fellowship opportunity for our children. It is a place where lifelong friendships and fond memories are made.
The Red Door Ringers -This cross-generational ensemble of musicians performs once a month at the 9:00 A.M. family service. Utilizing a 3-octave set of Schulmerich handbells, the Red Doors Ringers enhance worship through original pieces of prayer and praise or through those based on hymn tunes. Rehearsals are held weekly in the choir room on Thursday evenings.
Emmanuel Church is blessed to have a rich community of musicians amongst its membership. Because of that richness, we are able to make musical offerings outside of Sunday morning worship for the enjoyment of our parish and surrounding communities. Please note the following dates as opportunities to meditate to, worship through, or simply enjoy music.
May 6: 5:00 p.m. Evensong +Sherry Reception (PH foyer)
Dr. Homer Ferguson III, Organist and Choirmaster
Email
Dr. Homer Ashton Ferguson III, is the organist/choirmaster at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Southern Pines, North Carolina, where he oversees an active music ministry, focused on the rich heritage of the Anglican tradition.
Dr. Ferguson was raised in the St. Louis metropolitan area and spent his formative years studying piano and organ with Mrs. Peggy Shaw and Mr. Glenn Freiner. Dr. Ferguson is a 2000 graduate of Illinois College, where he studied organ under the direction of Dr. Rudolf Zuiderveld and piano and conducting with Dr. Garrett Allman. In the summer of 2000, Homer moved to Arizona to pursue his Master of Music degree in Keyboard Performance (Organ) at Arizona State University under the tutelage of Dr. Kimberly Marshall, director of Organ Studies and the School of Music. In May 2002 he received the Master of Music degree from Arizona State University and continued his studies until being awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in May 2008. His dissertation, John Brombaugh: America’s Master Organ Builder has received wide critical acclaim by those in the field of organ scholarship.
Dr. Ferguson is an active performer, having given his first international performance on the 1734 Hinsz organ of the St. Petruskerk in Leens, The Netherlands in the summer of 1998. Other European musical tours have included performances in Berlin, Meissen, Prague, Hradec Kravlove (Czech Republic), Santiago de Compostela, Sevilla, Santander, and Toledo. Dr. Ferguson has also played with the Arizona State University Symphony Orchestra, the Tempe Symphony Orchestra, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, and the Scottsdale Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Dr. Ferguson has served on the faculties of Illinois College and Arizona State University. Dr. Ferguson served as the Dean of the Central Arizona Chapter of the American Guild of Organists in 2007-2009 and was the Co-Coordinator for the Region IX 2009 Festival held in Phoenix in June 2009.
Dr. Ferguson has been the recipient of the McGaw Citation in the Fine Arts, the Sturtevant Leadership Award, the Ruth Bellatti Music Scholarship, the Wurzburger Organ Scholarship, the Arizona Regent's Music Award, and the Graduate College Award. He was also listed in the 2000 edition of Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.
Please view the