Welcome | Emmanuel Baptist Church

EMMANUEL’S MUSIC PROGRAM

ABOUT OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR:

Donna Dangler holds a B.A. in Music Education from Montclair State University, where she did extensive accompanying for the college choirs, ensembles and soloists. She draws upon a broad musical experience, including being active in music ministry for twenty-one years as a choir director, handbell director and organist; teaching piano, voice and organ in studio and private settings; and accompanying many local schools and choirs. Mrs. Dangler is affiliated with many professional organizations including the American Guild of Organists-Northern New Jersey and Manhattan, New York Chapters, through which she earned the professional certification of Colleague, The Royal Canadian College of Organists, National Pastoral Musician’s Association, American Guild of Handbell Ringers, North New Jersey Orff Schulwerk Association and Chorister’s Guild. She is beginning her sixth year at Houston Academy of Fine and Performing Arts in East Orange where she directs the choir and teaches general music classes for Grades Pre K-5. Mrs. Dangler’s favorite musical medium if harpsichord continuo in chamber ensembles and she hopes to study classical guitar. She is currently preparing for the certification of Associate through the AGO. Her classroom motto reads, “We will learn about music in a fun way. We will learn to appreciate music. Music is for ALL to enjoy.”

ABOUT OUR CHOIRS:

Our chancel choir is all volunteers and is a blending of trained voices and those who just love to sing. Members range in age from high school to senior citizens. Under the able leadership of our director, Donna Dangler, we sing praises to the Lord in the form of great classical sacred repertory through gospel and contemporary “praise music.” We are accompanied at various times by different instruments, i.e.: pipe organ, piano, saxophone, flute and differing forms of percussion. We usually have a music-Sunday in December where we perform a Christmas cantata.

Our children’s choir is an enthusiastic group whose voices (sometimes in conjunction with sign language) will melt your heart. We include all school age children. Our director, Donna Dangler, who teaches music and chorus in an elementary school system during the week, brings rich experience to leading them.

We also have a 3-octave-handbell choir that performs on special holidays on the church calendar. The choir is made up of volunteers from high school through senior citizens. In preparation for bells, the children have tone chimes, which is an excellent and beautiful way for them to learn and perform music.

We also encourage our young people to play the prelude or postlude, from time to time, on the various instruments they are studying.

Second to worship, through music our program is strong on individual and group learning and development. During rehearsals our director is constantly imparting music knowledge and nuances. We also have lots of fun in the process.

Come and listen to our music, be inspired, or join the choirs as we make a joyful noise unto the Lord. The chancel choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00pm and Sunday mornings at 9:45 before the 10:30 service. The children rehearse Sunday mornings before Church school at 9:15 am. The chancel choir sings every Sunday from the second week of September through Father’s Day in June. The children sing at services when they are performance ready.

ABOUT OUR ORGAN:

Our beautiful pipe organ was built by Austin Organs, Inc in Hartford, Ct and installed in 1967. The 3 manual and pedal console has 33 stops; and the organ has 29 ranks of pipes totaling 1898 pipes plus chimes which are located in the pipe chamber in the front of the sanctuary behind a special sound screen.

ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGH MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS:

We are developing a concert series to be held in our sanctuary at various times during the year featuring professional musicians and groups. The concerts would be free except for a free-will-offering which would be designated to go to specific needy charitable causes at the time. Presently, we have a concert scheduled for Sunday November 2, 2008, at 3pm by the All Seasons Chamber Players. The free-will-offering taken will go to the Center For Food Action to help relieve the increasing hunger problem right here in Bergen County.

We will advertise additional concerts as they are planned.

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