Lenten Organ Series at the Meetinghouse
Five Fridays Lenten Concert Series
First Congregational Church of Madison’s
Five Fridays Lenten Concert Series
Half-hour Lunchtime Concerts by Local Organists
March 21st, 28th, April 4th, 11th, 18th; 12:15-12:45 pm
Free to the public
For the 19thyear in a row, the First Congregational Church of Madison, 26 Meetinghouse Lane (on the Green) is sponsoring lunchtime organ concerts at the church during five Fridays in Lent. The public is invited to come into the sanctuary or listen outside on the Green as the music is broadcast through our steeple speakers and enjoy a half-hour recital of music performed on the historic 1929 M.P. Möller organ by local organists. This series is sponsored in part by the New London County Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. The recitalists this year are:
• March 21st: Angela Salcedo, Organ Lecturer at UCONN and Director of Music Ministries at the First Church of Christ, Congregational in Glastonbury
• March 28th: Joshua Ehlebracht, Director of Music at St. Paul’s on the Green, Norwalk
• April 4th: Walden Moore, retired Director of Music at Trinity Church, New Haven
• April 11th: Ezequiel Menéndez, professor of Organ at College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA and retired Director of Music and Organist at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Hartford
• April 18th: Nathan Bayreuther, Director of Music Ministry at First Congregational Church of Madison
Built by the M. P. Möller company of Hagerstown, Maryland and installed at the First Congregational Church of Madison, Connecticut during the winter of 1929-1930, its completion was lauded in both local and national press as a triumph for the congregation and community. Since then, it has become one of the most renowned organs in Connecticut having remained unaltered as a symphonic organ – built to closely resemble a symphonic orchestra, the style of the day – in its original configuration for almost a century. Restored in 2019, it is played nearly every day and is kept in prime condition for services and recitals, drawing admiration from musicians and listeners across the region.
In December, 2019, the Organ Historical Society voted to bestow the prestigious Historic Pipe Organ Award to the instrument and the church. This award recognizes specific, unaltered pipe organs as having historical, cultural, and musical significance. It acknowledges the organ’s enduring legacy as an exceptional and worthy instrument.
More about the instrument with video clips may be found at https://www.fccmadison.org/organ.
Contact:
Nathan Bayreuther, Director of Music Ministry
First Congregational Church
26 Meetinghouse Lane, Madison, CT 06443
(203) 245-2739, ext. 14
announcements
Roberta Bitgood Organ Scholarship
2025 RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED!
Leon Nguyen and Leydet Garlobo Gonzalez
Leon Nguyen is a student at the University of Connecticut majoring in Data Science and Math as well as minoring in Organ Performance. She is a student of Dr. Angela Salcedo. Some of her long-term goals, in addition to having a career in data science and math, include continuing as a substitute organist, and eventually being a music director at a local parish.
Leydet Garlobo Gonzalez, also our 2024 recipient, has advanced degrees and experience in choral conducting. She studied choral conducting at the Provincial School of Music of Matanzas, Cuba (2005), and Musicology at the University of Arts in Havana, Cuba (2013). Leydet currently studies organ with Nathan Bayreuther in support of her goal of becoming a church musician and sacred music leader.
Congratulations, Leon and Leydet!
Photo: 2025 Roberta Bitgood Scholarship winners with judges. Left to right: Leon Nguyen (recipient); Leydet Garlobo Gonzalez (recipient); Kathy Cooper
Back row: Susan Paisley, Doug Green, Michael Noonan
Community Resources
Winners of the 2025 Woman Composer Sunday organ composition contest:
1st (Concert Work) Brenda Portman, "Diptych for Organ"
1st (Short Work) – Maureen Howell, "Reflection on Kingsfold"
2nd (Short Work) – Evelyn Larter, "Here's One"
3rd (Short Work) – Miriam Reveley, "Adagio in C Minor"
Young Composer – Celina Kobetitsch, "Fantasy on Noël Nouvelet"
Downloads of the compositions, information about the composers, and performances videos:
https://agohq.org/Ago/News/2025-Composition-Contest-Winners-Announced.aspx
A page devoted to the life & legacy of Dr. Roberta Bitgood:
https://bitgood.eclectronics.net
A searchable database of our chapter music library:
https://www.cathedralofsaintpatrick.org/Music/AGO-Library. .
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