Music

The FUMC Austin Choir is a dedicated ensemble of volunteer and professional musicians offering weekly musical support for 11:00AM worship in the Sanctuary as well as at the 9:00AM worship services on Festival Sundays. Weekly rehearsals are on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30PM  and Sunday mornings at 10:15AM. 

Festival Choir provides musical support for 9:00AM and 11:00AM worship in the Sanctuary on Sundays celebrating: Music, World Communion Sunday, All Saints Day, Advent, Christmas, and Easter. This is the perfect time for all those who sing, but cannot commit to long term participation in the FUMC Austin Choir because of conflicts with the Wednesday evening rehearsal schedule. Festival Choir rehearsals are limited to 2-3 weeks prior to any specific Festival Choir service/event. During those periods, they are held on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:30PM  and on  Sunday mornings  at 8:15AM.

Summer Choir meets in July and August to offer musical support for the 11:00AM Sanctuary worship service. During these months, rehearsals are only held on Sunday mornings from 10:15-10:55AM. A commitment to sing every Sunday during July and August is not necessary to sing in the Summer Choir.

Handbell Ensemble meets seasonally to offer music in Sanctuary worship. Please contact the music office for details and more information about upcoming opportunities. 

Instrumentalists who desire to offer their talents in Sanctuary worship are invited to contact Scott Davis, Director of Music and Organist.  

If you are interested in joining the FUMC choir, please contact Scott Davis, Director of Music Ministry, at scott@fumcaustin.org or 512-478-5684, ext. 209.

9:30-10:00AM on Sunday mornings.

The Children’s Choir incorporates fun and fellowship into singing praise to God. Children use instruments and learn basic music theory while practicing songs to perform during worship services and at an annual musical.

Contact Roxie Garza, Director of Children’s Choir, at roxie@fumcaustin.org.

The first organ on record was built in 1928 by Henry Pilcher’s Sons (Op. 1439 – 3 manuals /33 ranks) of Louisville, Kentucky. In 1969, a new instrument was built by Otto Hofmann (3 manuals – 65 ranks) of Austin, Texas. Four stops or ranks (sets of pipes) and their wind chests were retained by Hofmann from the 1928 Pilcher organ, those being a large scale 16′ Open Wood, a 16′ and 8′ Stopped Wood, and a 16′ Gedeckt in the pedal division. By 2010, these stops (from 1928) were barely functional, and the Hofmann organ was becoming more and more mechanically unreliable. The console (or keyboards and stops), having had several alterations over the years, including the addition of a SSL combination action, was also failing. 

In 2010, a large gift was given to First Church to begin an organ fund to either rebuild or replace the Hofmann organ. Over the next several years this fund grew, and in 2014, a large gift was given by an FUMC family and over $100,000 was raised by the congregation. At this point, a contract was signed with R.A. Colby, Inc. of Johnson City, Tennessee to begin “Phase I” of two phases to rebuild, enlarge, and revoice the Hofmann organ, essentially creating a new instrument. 

Phase I involved: 

The new R.A. Colby instrument now has the equivalent of 100 ranks and was premiered in a concert by Ken Cowan on May 31, 2015.