Village Congregational Church
Music at the Village Church
At the Village Church, we support a music ministry in many ways. There is Fuller's Follies, where we raise money for the Food Bank, our annual Messiah Sing, the Valentine's Dance, caroling, the Friday Night Café and jam sessions for local musicians, and the summer visits from the Greenwood Music Camp.
Go to the Friday Night Café page to see the activity there.
The Annual Messiah Sing
This has been an annual event for 50 years now. As many as 200 musicians and singers come to the church on the first Sunday after Christmas, from all over New England, to participate in this unrehearsed performance of the Christmas part of Handel's Messiah, plus a couple other choruses and solo parts. The participants are mostly so familiar with the music it sounds like we've been practicing for weeks!
It was a very cold day for our 53rd annual Messiah Sing, on December 31, 2017, but over 85 people showed up to sing, and a dozen were in our "pick-up" orchestra. Gregory Hayes directed, Kristy Spicer was our soprano, Lisa Woods our mezzo, Dario Coletta our tenor, and Steve Curylo was our baritone. Sheldon Ross played trumpet, and Andrew Metz was our organist.
Orchestra and soloists, and some of the chorus.
Kristi Spicer and Lisa Woods
Dario Coletta and Steve Curylo
The Village Church has a 75-year relationship with the Greenwood Music Camp. a nationally-acclaimed summer camp 
for high school classical instrumentalists. On Sundays in July & early August, they also become our 50+ member choir! These interfaith services are guaranteed to uplift with the beauiful voices and excellent musicianship of the students.
On Saturday nights during the camp they perform in the music barn at the camp. The skill the students exhibit is amazing. These performances are free and open to all.
String quartet opens the service on July 9, 2017
Two videos from the last service with the Greenwood camp are here:
Singing the anthem:
Herr, wenn ich nur dich habe by Heinrich Schütz
and the congregation, campers and orchestra playing the last hymn of the service:
To You O God all creatures sing
Below: the choir sings the anthem "Herr, wenn ich nur dich habe"
A piano sextet, and everyone loves ringing the bell
The Choir sings at the camp, and a trio opens the service at church
Greenwood Campers passing the peace at church
From 2016:
A performance of a Mendelssohn octet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4K0tSEp2x8
‟Haleluyah, Ashrei ish” by Salamone Rossi sung by Greenwood campers at the Village church: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnkpGW1NukI
Brahms piano quintet, Greenwood Music Camp 7/9/16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWj9JsEkDkk
52nd Annual Messiah Sing
The Annual Messiah Sing came on January 1, 2017 this time. A smaller crowd than usual, probably due to the holidays, but everyone had a good time Mary Hubbell was our soprano soloist, and returning this year were Cynthia Sanner, mezzo, Dario Coletta, tenor, and Steve Curylo, baritone. John Gerry-Karajanes played the organ and Sheldon Ross trumpet.
Mary Hubbell
Cynthia SannerDario Coletta
Steve Curylo stands to sing "The trumpets shall sound"
The Annual Messiah Sing
This has been an annual event for 50 years now. As many as 200 musicians and singers come to the church on the first Sunday after Christmas, from all over New England, to participate in this unrehearsed performance of the Christmas part of Handel's Messiah, plus a couple other choruses and solo parts. The participants are mostly so familiar with the music it sounds like we've been practicing for weeks! Our 2014 Messiah Sing was the 50th annual sing and we are proud to have supported this event through a half century.
With this year's 51st Messiah Sing we have begun our second half century. It is very exciting to have an event like this continue for so long with so much enthusiasm. It was a full house, with at least 160 singers and over thirty listeners in the balcony and the twenty piece pick-up orchestra. Clearly the people who come have sung this over and over because it sounds beautiful with no rehearsal time at all.
A musical selection (from worthy is the lamb) can be heard at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jSKYxYcBrY&feature=youtu.be
And the last measures of the "Hallelujah Chorus" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXclH9avopo
As can be seen above, there was a big crowd for the Sing. Our soloists were (from left, above) Kristi Spicer, soprano, Lisa Woods, alto, Dario Coletta, tenor, and Steve Curylo, baritone. As we were lacking a trumpet player, Hannah Berube played clarinet for "the trumpet shall sound." Our organist this year was John Gerry-Karajanes, and the conductor Gregory Hayes.
Scenes from the 50th Messiah Sing Celebration. Hear some selections here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziB6ujVcF5Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg_Q-aYkpO4
Fuller's Follies Performers, on Saturday October 10, 2015
A crowd of over 75 people came for an evening of fun and music which raised money for the Hilltown Food Pantry
in Goshen, MA.
From Top left: Alex Griffith, Linda O'Dea, Meghan Griffith,
Anwyn Dickinsen, Abigail Jerusik,
Larry Sears,
James Kitchen, Josh Wachtel, Mike Metzger, Josh Wachtel and James Kitchen
Greenwood Music Camp 2015
Congregation and campers singing. 
Listening to the anthem.
Campers enjoy the chruch reception for them. Piano quintet at the camp's Music Barn.
A String Quartet at the Barn.The Campers sing an anthem, led by Gregory Hayes.