Make a Joyful Summer Noise!

From June 1 to August 12, the adult Summer Chorus meets each Sunday morning at 10:00 in the Choir Room to prepare for the 11:00 service. Interested singers are very welcome to join the choir as they are able throughout the summer.

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Choirs

At Idlewild, singers of every age have the bonus of music education added to the joy of singing. Rehearsals for every choir include ear training; music appreciation; music history; hymnology; liturgy; sight reading; responsibility for vestments, music, and attendance—and fun!

Adult Sanctuary Choir

The reputation of a high quality of musicianship of Idlewild's Adult Choir attracts singers from the membership, the graduate music program at the University of Memphis, nearby Rhodes College, and throughout the community. Led by Ted Gibboney, Director of Music Ministry, approximately 50 singers lead the music worship each Sunday at the 11 o'clock a.m. service. Soloists lead the service at 8:30 o'clock a.m. in the chapel, except for Easter services, which are in the sanctuary. (no rehearsals during the summer)

Idlewild Sanctuary Choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 (with a break in the summer), and occasional extra rehearsals as needed. Auditions are encouraged. In addition to the regular Sunday morning service, the choir sings special music programs such as Mozart's Requiem and Haydn's Creation, accompanied by members of local professional ensembles.

NOTE: Fall adult choir rehearsals resume on August 6, 2008.

Children's Choirs

The music ministry for children at Idlewild is not just about music, nor is it merely an activity for Wednesday evenings. The foundation of the choir curriculum at every level is to give children the tools necessary to be active participants in the primary focus of every Christian: hearing and responding to God in Sunday worship.

Membership in the choirs is open to all children. Choirs rehearse and sing during the school year, September-May.

Cherub Choir — Preschool II and Kindergarten

The Cherub Choir sings in Sunday worship about every two months during the school year.. This choir lays the foundation for children to learn the joy of participating in worship through the music ministry. Rehearsals: Sunday mornings at 9:40 (during the first half of chruch school) in room 201W.

Primary (grades 1-3) and Junior Choir (grades 4-6)

Primary and Junior Choirs rehearse together on Wednesdays, 6:20–7:00 p.m. in the Choir Room.

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Idlewild Presbyterian Church houses two magnificent musical instruments: the sanctuary organ and the 48-bell carillon.

The Organ

The design of the Idlewild organ was inspired by instruments of 18th and 19th century France. It is comprised of three keyboards and a pedalboard. The 69 sets of pipes in the organ are combined into 47 individual sounds or stops and total 3,459 individual pipes. The key action system and stop action system allows the organist to create an infinite variety of combination of sounds and tonal colors. The console employs a memory system that permits the organist to store many different combinations of sounds.

The local chapter of American Guild of Organists schedules meetings and recitals at Idlewild, in addition to recitals by the church’s organists.

The Carillon

Idlewild's carillon of 48 bells was completed just before Christmas 1999. The bells were cast in France by Paccard. The carillon is the only one in Memphis. It is played Monday-Friday at 4:00 p.m., and at noon each day by computer.

The bells, housed in a stone tower which rises majestically 120 feet above the church’s sanctuary, were cast at the Paccard-Fonderie de Cloches of Annecy, France, range in weight from 4,397 to 29 pounds, totaling more than 26,890 pounds. Forty-four of the bells are stationary; the other four, the C, F, G and A in the bottom octave, swing in a peal or a random ringing. Due to the varying sizes of the bells, the smallest of the four bells rings first, the next largest follows, and so on. The cessation of the peal is in reverse order.

The church building itself was completed in the late 1920s, but, because of the volatile economic times, the magnificent bell tower remained empty for decades. In 1980 the first 23 bells were installed, and the remaining 25 were installed in the fall of 1999. The full carillon was initiated by carillonneur Paul Hicks on December 31, 1999 at 11:59 as a welcome to the third millennium.

In addition to chiming the hours, the carillon is played for 20 minutes each weekday at noon and at 4:00 in the afternoon.