Lenten Concert Series

Lent is a season associated with turning inward, examining ourselves and our relationship with God, and focusing on Christ’s sacrifice for us. Music is a great tool to help us do just that. This year, First Congregational Church presents a Lenten Concert series giving you an opportunity to sit down for a while each week, be present in the moment, and to turn your focus to God.

Each Thursday evening during Lent, we are hosting one or more musicians to play music appropriate for the season. They will offer 30-40 minutes of music, ending in sufficient time for Chancel Choir members who wish to bring a pack dinner to eat before choir practice begins at 7:00 pm.

We have an outstanding group of musicians lined up for you to enjoy. On March 6 and 13 you can hear clarinetist Nick Davies from Colorado Symphony, first as part of a quartet and then as a soloist, presenting Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time. We are also proudly presenting soprano Ekaterina Kotcherguina, flutist Rachelle Crowell, pianist Jessica Kressin, and duo Christine Teng, piano, and Charlie Bistodeau, violin.

All concerts are at 6:00 p.m., with the exception of the first one, which begins at 5:00 p.m.

March 6 – Quartet: Nick Davies, clarinet, Owen Lin, violin, Eugene Kim, cello, and Joshua Sawicki, piano (Sanctuary)

March 13 – Nick Davies, clarinet, and Alaina de Bellevue, piano (Sanctuary)

Nick Davies is the Bass/Utility Clarinetist of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. He previously held positions with the Great Falls Symphony, Chinook Winds, Santa Fe Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Des Moines Metro Opera. He has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, and Bozeman Symphony as guest principal.

Alaina de Bellevue is a freelance pianist, vocal coach, and music director based in Boulder, Colorado. She currently serves as the pianist for Colorado Ballet’s pre-professional division, is the principal pianist for Fort Collins Symphony, and appears regularly with orchestras across the Front Range.

March 20 – Rachelle Crowell, flute, and Kajsa Teitelbaum, piano (Chapel)

Praised for her sound, technique, and stage presence, Rachelle Crowell is a flutist and educator. A two-time NFA Young Artist quarterfinalist, she has won multiple competitions. She has performed with esteemed ensembles, including the Colorado Symphony, Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Cheyenne Symphony, Colorado Bach Ensemble, and Boulder Philharmonic.

March 27 – Jessica Kressin, piano (Chapel)

Jessica Kressin, our Chancel Choir Accompanist, studied Piano Performance at CU Boulder. She performs in Denver, is part of Duo Azure with Ekaterina Kotcherguina, competed in Lyon, France, and serves as principal pianist for the Arapahoe Philharmonic and music director at Breaking Glass Arts, a small immersive opera company based in Denver.

April 3 – Ekaterina Kotcherguina, soprano, and Kajsa Teitelbaum, piano (Chapel)

Praised for her “fresh and exuberant” stage presence, soprano Ekaterina Kotcherguina excels in both comedic and tragic roles. A frequent vocalist in our worship services, she has performed with Longmont Symphony, Boulder Bach Festival, and Opera Company of Middlebury. A Denver-based voice teacher, her 2024-2025 season includes Rosalinde in Germany, Mozart’s Requiem, and recital collaborations.

April 10 – Charlie Bistodeau, violin, and Christine Teng, piano (Chapel)

Charlie Bistodeau is a freelance musician working in the Boulder area. He has played with groups such as the Boulder Philharmonic, Boulder Symphony, Boulder Opera, Bozeman Symphony, and McKinney Philharmonic. He recently completed a Master’s degree in Violin Performance from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was a Teaching Assistant. Charlie and his wife Kathryn have loved getting to know the First Congregational community over the last year!

Christine Teng, our Children’s and Youth Choir Accompanist, is a collaborative pianist from Rochester, New York. With degrees and honors in piano performance and keyboard collaborative arts, several years’ experience as the staff accompanist at the Eastman Community Music School, and a piano fellowship at Musiktheater Bavaria in Germany, she is currently enrolled as a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate in Collaborative Piano at CU’s College of Music.