Caledonia First Presbyterian Church has been bringing free concerts to our community since 2004. Over the years our friends and neighbors have enjoyed these concerts, which have also drawn people from the greater Rochester area to our community. We strive to enrich our community by bringing musicians to Caledonia-Mumford. For many years the concerts were supported by grants from the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts, supplemented by freewill offerings. Most recently we have been able to support the concerts through freewill offerings and generosity of our guest musicians, who love coming to Caledonia.
ORGAN RECITALS
In 2018 the 63rd annual convention of the Organ Historical Society was held in nearby Rochester NY. Our 1876 E. and G.G. Hook and Hastings Organ was amongst the area’s historical organs chosen for recitals during the convention. On Tuesday July 31 Peter Dubois performed two recitals at Caledonia First Presbyterian Church. Our sanctuary was filled to capacity for both recitals. Peter Dubois is the Director of Music/Organist at Third Presbyterian Church in Rochester.
On Friday, May 17, 2013, Peter DuBois presented a concert celebrating the 26th anniversary of the installation of the church’s E. and G. G. Hook and Hastings Organ, Opus 829 (built in 1876). The concert was also in memory of Evelyn Taylor, Chair of the Memorial Organ Committee. The pipe organ as an instrument possesses a repertoire that spans almost 600 years – longer than virtually any other instrument. And as such, organ music encompasses a large span in the history of Western music. The anniversary concert’s program included music from several of those centuries, primarily from the 18th to the late 20th centuries. Dr. DuBois chose a program that not only represented the music written and performed at the time this organ was built, but that also demonstrated the capabilities and innovative sounds of the instrument, encompassing three centuries of organ music.
For information about our E. and G.G. Hook and Hastings Organ see the History Page.
CONCERT SERIES
The Celtic Christmas Concert has traditionally been the start of the Cal-Mum Holiday festivities held the first weekend in December. This popular program celebrates the Celtic ancestry of Livingston County through music featuring the Christmas Céilidh Band. Our sanctuary is filled with the sounds of smallpipes, Celtic harp, Irish flute, guitar, mandolin, whistles, bagpipes, fiddles, Celtic Bouzouki, cello, percussion, and multi-voice harmonies. The Christmas Céilidh Band has a strong following and our sanctuary is filled to capacity!
In March (near St. Patrick’s Day) we welcome the Striking Strings Hammered Dulcimer Ensemble of the Rochester Eastman Community Music School directed by Mitzie Collins to our sanctuary. This ensemble is the largest hammered dulcimer ensemble in the US. They are often joined by Roxanne Zeigler and the Harmonious Harps, as well as an Irish Tenor. The evening of music offers music drawn from Celtic, primarily Irish, traditions. In addition to dulcimers and harps we enjoy the well-rounded music of fiddles, bass, accordion, record, flute/pennywhistle and guitar.
Late spring brings the Dady Brothers to Caledonia First Presbyterian Church. Joe and John Dady are well known and loved in Western NYS for their traditional Irish music, as well as for more modern bluegrass, country and folk music, much of which written and recorded themselves. The brothers are virtuoso players on the fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bodhran, banjo, uilleann pipes, harmonica, and pennywhistle. Both are smooth vocal singers with a talent for storytelling that adds humor and interest.
