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Saturday, December 4, 2021
The FPC choir is in transition. We are taking a break for the summer and will be determining the future. Church member Beverly Hoch has assumed the duties of music director until further notice. BEVERLY HOCH is an American coloratura soprano and music educator, a native of Marion, KS, who has had an active performance career in operas, concerts, and on recordings since the late 1970s. She has recently retired from teaching at Texas Woman's University and is serving as Music Director at First Presbyterian Church in Denton, TX. Dr. Malcolm Matthews, who earned a doctoral degree in organ performance from the Eastman School of Music, is one of only four organists to have been awarded the prestigious Artist's Certificate in Eastman's century-long history. In addition to his organ studies with David Higgs, he earned a master's degree in harpsichord performance under William Porter and pursued a minor in collaborative piano with Jean Barr. Dr. Matthews comes to UNT most recently from the faculty of the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennesee where he served as Adjunct Artist Teacher of Organ and Harpsichord. He also served as associate organist and choirmaster at Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville. Matthews enjoys collaborative work and often accompanies ensembles and soloists across a broad repertoire. He has performed as a soloist with the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. A featured artist at national conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society, his accolades include first place at the 2013 Westfield International Organ Competition, second place at the 2012 National Young Artist's Competition in Organ Performance, semi-finalist at the 2016 International Bach Competition, second place at the 2016 OSM Manulife Competition, first place at the 2005 Southeastern Region IV Young Organists Competition and semi-finalist at the 2009 Concours international d’orgue de Lyon.