Music Programs

CHRIST CHURCH CHOIR
Diane Meredith Belcher, Interim Organist/Choirmaster
The Christ Church Choir is comprised of an eight singer professional core with choristers from the parish.  The full choir performs major works throughout the year, including Bach Cantatas, Mass settings and other choral works.  The full choir rehearses Sundays between the 9 and 11 A.M. services and after the 11 A.M. Service. We welcome new singers!!  Please contact Diane Belcher at dianemeredithbelcher@gmail.com if you are interested in being part of this ministry.

THE BELL GUILD
The Bell Guild at Christ Church is a group of parishioner volunteers with keyboard training who peal the bells in the tower before and after worship services.  If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Bell Ringer, please contact Cecilia Wagner at cwagner@christchurchphila.org. .

FIRST FRIDAY CONCERT SERIES
First Friday is a monthly celebration of brotherhood and the arts in the Old City section of Philadelphia. All events are free and open to everyone! Local art galleries and studios, restaurants, concerts at Christ Church, and a variety of other exciting activities, invite your participation on the First Friday of every month. All First Friday musical programs at Christ Church begin at 8 PM
NO reservations are required. For additional information call the church office at 215-922-1695 or email us.

CURTIS MEMORIAL ORGAN- Dedicated May 29, 1935
The Christ Church Curtis Memorial Organ is a great gift that was made to the glory of God and to Christ Church in memory of publisher Cyrus H. K. Curtis by his daughter, Mary Louise Curtis Bok Zimbalist. This splendid pipe organ, built by The Aeolian Organ Company of Boston, was once in the residence of Mr. Curtis in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. In 1935 it was relocated and built into the sanctuary of Christ Church under the supervision of the renowned organ builder Ernest M. Skinner. Of the installation, Mr. Skinner explained, "

The entire instrument has been carefully re-regulated and each stop modified in strength and character in order that the blends and balance may be as perfect as present-day skill in the art permits. For further impressions, the organ will speak for itself." In 1957, The Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company made some minor changes and revisions to the pedal and Great Divisions. Finally, due to the age of the mechanism, most of which was constructed in 1903, the entire organ was dismantled and all the mechanical parts, other than pipes and console, were replaced by Austin Organs, Hartford, Connecticut, under the supervision of Brantley Duddy, Inc., Cedars, Pennsylvania.

Our recently retired organist of 45 years, John Binsfeld, designed the console built by Austin Organs in 1967. The console contains 7 divisions, 4 manuals, 126 drawknobs, 33 couplers, and 110 controls.Click here for the complete organ stoplist. The Curtis Memorial Organ is one of Philadelphia's largest instruments and it ministers to our community each Sunday at Worship Services, as well as, special musical events and Old City's First Friday Concerts. Some of the greatest recitalists from every part of the world have performed at Christ Church on the Curtis Memorial Organ, they include: Anthony Newman, William Whitehead, Odile Pierre, Carlo Curley, Nicholas Kynaston, Marie-Clair Alain, John Weaver, Karl Richter, Virgil Fox, Paul Jacobs, William Trafka, Tim Piper, Ken Cowan, Matthew Glandorf and our own organist, John Binsfeld.