Our 2023-2024 First U Concert Series
Please join us for upcoming concerts this year!
Organ Recital
September 24, 2023
2:00 p.m.
Featuring celebrated organist Bruce Barber
Suggested donation: $20
Join us in launching our 2023-24 First U Concert Series with a program featuring organist Bruce Barber holding forth on our extraordinary Rieger tracker organ! The program will include works by Mendelssohn, Bach, Buxtehude and others! This concert will also mark the launch of our annual Counterpoint Fundraiser. The concert will be followed by a reception and the opportunity to meet with Mr. Barber.
A frequent recitalist throughout the US, Bruce J. Barber II currently serves as Director of Music and Organist at historic Christ Church Christiana Hundred in Greenville, Delaware. He has also performed on many occasions in orchestral settings, including the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, the Florida Symphony Orchestra, the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of such notable maestros as Riccardo Muti, Bernard Haitink, James Conlon, David Zinman, Helmuth Rilling, Semyon Byshkov, Charles Dutoit, and Michael Tilson Thomas.
An avid conductor, he has conducted a wide range of sacred music, orchestral literature and concerto repertoire ranging from Bach to Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart, Brahms to Duruflé, Bernstein and Stravinsky. In his capacity at Christ Church, in 2018 he led the Choir on a set of Choral Residencies at both Bristol Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, UK. The Choir completed another week-long residency in July 2022 this time singing services at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Bruce’s previous positions include Director of Cathedral Music at St. James Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois and Canon Precentor & Director of Cathedral Music at the Cathedral Church of St. John in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Trained as a choral and orchestral conductor, an organist and cellist, Mr. Barber holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida, and a Master of Music Degree from the Yale School of Music and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music.
Save These Dates for Upcoming Concerts (details to be posted later)
Sunday, October 22nd at 3:00 p.m.
Musical Theater Gala with First U Choir and Guests
(Counterpoint Fundraiser closing)
Sunday, November 12th at 3:00 p.m.
Wister Quartet
Sunday, December 3rd at 3:00 p.m.
Holiday Sing-along with the Diamond State Concert Band
The First U Concert Series and other music activities are supported financially in-part by the Counterpoint Society. If you’re interested in contributing to support music at First U, please visit our donate page on the website, here.
To learn about our past concert series, please click here.