Music Ministry
“Village Presbyterian Church is a cultural treasure. Not only does the church serve as a venue for local arts groups…it also presents its own series of free concerts, making fabulous music available to all.”
—Patrick Neas, Kansas City Star
About Music at Village
The Village Church Music Ministry is grounded in the belief that God’s gift of music is meant to be shared with everyone. Child or adult, listener or maker of music, we are deeply connected in song, in harmony, in rhythm—in faith and ministry.
Our Sunday morning worship services involve our many vocal and instrumental ensembles, with opportunities for new and experienced musicians alike, while our Sunday evening worship features a contemporary folk band and solo instrumentalists. Concerts with guest performers and local musicians are scheduled throughout the year, so check the calendar for what’s coming next.
Fall 2024 Concert Series
Download the printable PDF flyer.
Village Arts Alliance
The Village Arts Alliance exists to support and promote the performing arts in our community by providing support and performance and rehearsal space for three local not-for-profit musical ensembles.
Kansas City Wind Symphony
The Kansas City Wind Symphony is an auditioned 54-piece wind ensemble in residence at Village Church. Their mission is to present professional quality performances of the best in wind ensemble and band repertoire while providing a quality performance experience for adult instrumental musicians. Conducted by Dr. Langston Hemenway, the ensemble presents five public concerts annually at Village Church, performs throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area and occasionally travels to out of state venues for performances. The ensemble is open to any member of the community through competitive auditions.
Kansas City Baroque Consortium
Kansas City Baroque Consortium was formed in 2009. Its mission is to bring together local and regional professional musicians with a love and interest in exploring historically informed performances of Baroque and Early Music. Performing on both period instruments and reconstructions, members of KC Baroque are frequent collaborators with area choruses and vocal ensembles, including Village Chamber Choir.
Te Deum Chamber Choir
Te Deum was founded by Matthew Christopher Shepard in 2008 to fulfill an expressed need by both singers and audiences in the Kansas City area to present sacred choral music concerts of the highest quality. The Te Deum Chamber Choir performed its first concert in spring 2009. Since then, the chamber choir has built an impressive and varied repertoire that spans centuries of time and wide ranges of composition style. In addition to creating compelling performances of early music, Te Deum has been a champion of modern music. Te Deum regularly commissions new compositions, offers world premieres, and makes it a priority to give voice to music of the 21st century.
Village Pipe Organ
Tennessee pipe organ builders Richards, Fowkes & Co. created Opus 22 for Village’s Mission Campus sanctuary in 2016. One of the company’s largest instruments to date, with 3,800 pipes and 59 stops, relies on organ building techniques that have been around for centuries. The pipe construction and key action in particular have stood the test of time, and we know they will serve our congregation and community well into the far future. Learn more about Opus 22 in the commemorative booklet below.
While the congregation has the benefit of hearing the organ in action every Sunday, Village also welcomes guest organists for recitals and other performances. Please contact Dr. Elisa Bickers, principal organist, for more information.
the gathering band
Contemporary Music
While our morning worship services have traditional church choirs, organ, handbells and classical solo instrumentalists and vocalists, our Sunday evening services feature the Gathering band, a more contemporary worship-folk ensemble led by Becky and Nathan Bliss. Gathering services also feature solo guest musicians and vocalists.
Contact Music Ministry
Whether you want to join a choir, want to perform as part of our Second Thursday recital series, or are just trying to remember what hymns we sang last Sunday, send us a message. We would love to hear from you.