Accompanists and Guests

Sometimes when I am traveling as part of my job, I have the opportunity to record accompaniments in the churches I visit or in my home church. A great many thanks to those who have contributed and keep contributing to Time Out:

Nathan Beethe began singing in choirs as soon as he could and has continued to sing his whole life.  He began taking piano lessons at age 6 and began instruction in organ at age 14.  In high school he took up guitar, developing a particular love for the blues.  He attended Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, where he studied organ with Charles W. Ore and Jeffrey N. Blersch, graduating with a Bachelors of Music in Parish Music, with organ as his primary instrument.  While at Concordia he also studied voice with Janene Sheldon.  He has begun work on a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of Central Arkansas, where he studied with Robert Holden.  Nathan currently serves as Director of Parish Music at Grace Lutheran Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he resides with his wife, Crissy, and their daughter, Emily. He blogs at Southern Lutheran Kantor.

Episodes with Nathan Beethe

Schola Cantorum is the select vocal choir of Memorial Lutheran School in Houston, TX. The school is affiliated with Memorial Lutheran Church. The children range from 5^th to 8^th grade. The choir is directed by Cantor Janet Muth, who has taught for over 20 years.

Episodes with Schola Cantorum

Mark Peters is church organist and choir director at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Leland MI. He is also Cantor of the Traverse Bay Circuit of the Michigan District LCMS. The circuit holds joint worship services and Mark provides free organ instruction for the circuit’s organists. Kathryn is a music educator, and both Mark and Kathryn have a large private studio of piano and voice students. She currently teaches music at Trinity Lutheran School in Traverse City.

Episodes with Kathryn and Mark Peters

Lizzie Palmer is a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Columbus, OH. She has always been immersed in music, whether it be sacred or classical, modern or big band/swing (which is her favorite). She played violin when she was younger, then moved on to flute, piccolo, and guitar.

Episodes with Lizzie Palmer

Jon Kohlmeier is a member of Mt. Zion Lutheran Church in Greenfield, WI. He began singing when his sister encouraged him to try out for the vocal jazz choir as an incoming High School Freshman. From there he sang in two additional High School choirs and was a member of Choral at Concordia University-Wisconsin. Now, Jon is a member of the church choir and can occasionally be heard singing on HT-Radio.

Episodes with Jon Kohlmeier

Linda Schramke Rein has been serving LCMS congregations on piano and organ benches since 1984. In addition to serving as Director of Music in her parish, she teaches elementary music at the local Montessori School. A dedicated teacher, “Miss Linda” has 30 private piano and voice students. She also administers Kawai piano loan programs at various institutions and conservatories throughout the Northeast. As Music Education Coordinator at Solich Piano & Music Company, she also stays busy teaching group piano and voice programs for beginners, and she would love to help you find the perfect piano. Linda lives in Youngstown, OH, with her three children who enjoy making music together as a family. In her free time, she truly enjoys practicing the piano and organ.

Episodes with Linda Schramke Rein

“Lutheran Warbler” records LSB hymns and posts them on her YouTube account.

Episodes with “Lutheran Warbler”

Originally from Ironton, Ohio, Matthew Pancake finds himself in Florida doing radio with Pastor Gary Held (Radical Grace Radio). A long time musician, Matthew has turned some his time and talent over to resurrecting his love of composition and arranging, as well sound production on projects like Johnny Scribble. Originally a Baptist, now a Lutheran, he finds Lutheran hymnody fertile ground on which to practice his craft.

Episodes with Matthew Pancake

Sam Mussmann is a graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who moonlights as a substitute organist in his spare time. He currently attends University Lutheran Church in Champaign, Illinois, where he is also a member of the choir. Sam enjoys computer programming, social dancing, and playing sports.

Episodes with Sam Mussman

Chris Loemker is a member of Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Freeburg, IL, and he serves as Music Director of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Collinsville, IL. He holds an organ performance degree from Indiana University – Bloomington and has been involved in Lutheran church music in various capacities for the past 25 years. He has served as music director and organist for Higher Things summer conferences, and he serves on HT’s Board of Directors.

Episodes with Chris Loemker

Claire Hulsether is a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio.

Episodes with Claire Hulsether

Molly Leithart has been a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio, since 2006. She was involved in choir in high school and at The Ohio State University. She was the keyboard player and a lead singer in a contemporary Christian group. She still enjoys playing the piano and singing in Zion’s senior choir. She holds a B.A. in English and studied Spanish in college.

Episodes with Molly Leithart

Mark Fergus is a life-long member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio. He has been singing in Zion’s choir since the early 90′s. Mark works as an electrical engineer and in his free time enjoys his hobbies of amateur (ham) radio and bicycling.

Episodes with Mark Fergus

The Rev. Charles St-Onge grew up in Canada, learning both French and English from a young age. He is married to Deborah, a lifelong American, and has two daughters, Olivia and Sophia. The St-Onges live in Houston, Texas, where Charles serves as Associate Pastor at Memorial Lutheran Church.

Episodes with Pr. Charles St-Onge

 

Anna Baseley is a member at Emmanuel Lutheran, Dearborn, MI. She has been singing in choirs for the past eight years. She is an avid French Hornist with the brass group at Emmanuel. Anna is a student at Wayne State University, studying Linguistics. She hosts the Compline on Skype group which meets online every Saturday evening.

Episodes with Anna Baseley

Jacob Weber is currently serving Emmanuel Lutheran Church and School in Dearborn, MI as Kantor. Jacob received his B.A. in Church Music from Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN in May of 2010 and plans to further his education to the Masters level. Aside from his musical duties at church and school, he is an active composer of church music, both organ and choral, and is anticipating the release of his first choral publication from Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO this summer.

Episodes with Jacob Weber

Michele Bunyon sings with Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Columbus, OH, and has been singing for over 18 years. She likes contemporary Christian music as well as traditional hymnody.

Episodes with Michele Bunyon

Allison Ulmer is a 2006 graduate from Concordia University-Nebraska with a Bachelor’s degree in Parish Music with an emphasis in organ. She currently resides in St. Louis with her husband Matt, a 4th year seminarian. She plays piano at Ascension Lutheran church and is a graduate assistant/staff accompanist at Webster University.

Episodes with Allison Ulmer

Susie Singer is the Director of Music at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Columbus, OH. She leads the junior choir and accompanies the senior choir.

Episodes with Susie Singer

Bruce Ahlich is the Kantor-Director of Music at Trinity Lutheran Church in Traverse City, MI. He serves as the principal organist, directs the Adult Choir and Choir Chime choirs, coordinates musical activities involving the Divine Services of the congregation and works with the pastors in the planning of those Divine Services for worship. He has supervised the 1989 and 2006 Organ Expansion Projects. Bruce has also taught adult education courses at Trinity on Lutheran hymnody, music and liturgy as well as on the Lutheran Confessions and their teachings.

Episodes with Bruce Ahlich

Sherry Taylor-Galbraith performed as Sherry McCarty in 2009 and is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Traverse City, MI. She is a background singer for ReBooted, a country and classic rock band out of Traverse City.

Episodes with Sherry McCarty

Sara Lemon is the organist at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oakmont, PA. She is a deaconess who serves at a convalescent home. In addition to playing, Sara also has a beautiful voice.

Episodes with Sara Lemon

Dale Stanton is organist at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Morristown, TN. He is a former pastor and a piano tuner.

Episodes with Dale Stanton