1580 Massachusetts Avenue
Lexington, MA 02420
v 781.862.9050
f 781.861.0142

Our Music Programs

The church is very proud of our variety of Music Programs and the talent of all of our musicians. We believe that our music ministry is not only an important part of our overall ministry but one of our strongest assets.

Calendar

December 9- Friday 6 PM Caroling for Homebound

December 18-Christmas Cantata during Worship Service

Saturday, Dec. 24- 7:00 PM- Lessons and Carols

No Choir Rehearsal Dec. 29.

Sunday Jan. 29-3:30 PM Lexington Choral Festival, hosted at Hancock

Sunday, March 25, Lenten Cantata during Worship Service

Sunday April 1- Palm Sunday

Thursday, April 5- Maundy Thursday Service, 7:00 PM

Sunday, April 8 - EASTER

Saturday, June 9, 7:00 PM- Strawberry Festival

Sunday, June 10- Children’s Sunday- No Choir

Sunday, June 17- Last Choir Sunday

Our Mission Statement

Music has long been recognized as a major source of inspiration and a major motivation for introspection as one confronts one’s religious faith. First Baptist has a long history of strong support for music and an outstanding music program including an excellent Rogers Electronic/Pipe Organ hybrid and one of the areas outstanding choirs. Music has the ability to move our mind and soul beyond its earthly roots, to help us soar in exaltation and praise of our God, and to move us in humility and supplication. Our responses to music are very personal and each of us responds in our own way. To that end music at First Baptist has three primary goals:

1. To enrich and enhance the worship experience through an eclectic but more traditional musical repertoire the meets the aptitudes and tastes of a varied congregation.

2. To provide an opportunity to those for whom musical expression is not only the foundation for their own personal expression of faith but also a valued and treasured gift which they desire to offer both to their God and their church.

3. To provide a musical outreach and mission to the greater Lexington Community through the presentation of special musical programs and participation in community events.

Sanctuary Choir

This adult choir performs at all religious services. The ensemble consists of singers of greatly varied abilities including a core quartet and some talented soloists as well as members who simply seek the opportunity to make a personal musical expression and gift of their talent to their church.

Rehearsals are Thursday evenings at 7:30 PM.

Dr. Robert P. Eaton - Minister of Music

Dr. Robert P. Eaton is founder and director of the Assabet Valley Mastersingers, a 70 voice regional chorus dedicated to the performance of major choral masterworks, and also the sixteen voice Assabet Valley Chambersingers. Dr. Eaton has a long career in church music and currently serves Minister of Music at First Baptist Church of Lexington, MA.

Dr. Eaton was Choral Director at Algonquin Regional High School, Northborough, MA for many years. Dr. Eaton’s choruses won numerous awards at festivals and competitions, including gold medals for Jazz Choir, Camerata Choir, Chamber Choir, and Concert Choir. Dr. Eaton’s students have been selected for National and Regional Honors Choirs and were always well represented in District and All State Choruses. In 1994 he was awarded the Teacher of the Year Award at Algonquin for his work in developing Humanities courses and a Senior Interdisciplinary Pilot Project.

Dr. Eaton is currently President of Eastern Division American Choral Directors Association. He is Past President of Massachusetts American Choral Directors Association and has served as Vice President and Treasurer of the chapter. He also served as Local Arrangements Chair for the Eastern Division Conference in Boston in 2004 and served as Honors Choir Coordinator for the Eastern Division ACDA conferences in 2006 and 2008.

In addition Dr. Eaton has been an organist/choir director for most of his career, active in the American Choral Directors Association, the American Guild of Organists, Music Educators National Conference, and Central District Massachusetts Music Educators Association. He has served as adjudicator and manager of All-State and District choruses and clinician/adjudicator for Festivals of Music. He received a Master of Music Education degree from Hartt School of Music with Dr. Gerald Mack and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting with Dr. James Jordan, also from Hartt. His DMA Dissertation was on Duruflé’s Requiem. Dr. Eaton has also studied conducting with Allen Lannom, Joseph Flummerfelt, and Sir David Willcocks.

Sarah Mayo, Soprano. Sarah Mayo holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA and a Master of Music, Vocal Performance (cum laude) from George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. Sarah was very active in the choral and opera programs at both universities and sang as soloist at her own First Baptist Church in Charlottesville, VA. She recently moved to Jamaica Plain and is quickly becoming involved in the music scene in theBoston area.

Jennifer Webb, Alto grew up in a musical family listening to Gilbert and Sullivan records. She appears as a soloist around the Boston area and performs regularly with the Oriana Consort and A Joyful Noyse. Most recently, she was a section leader at Payson Park Church in Belmont, MA. She has also recorded two albums with the Christmas Revels chorus. Jennifer studied literature at Oberlin College, received her Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois, and currently works as a librarian at Cary Memorial Library in Lexington.

Frank Levar, Tenor Frank Levar attended Indiana University School of Music, where he performed in several operas. He has been a District Winner and Regional Finalist for the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and a guest on Garrison Keillor’s Minnesota Public Radio show, “A Prairie Home Companion.”

At present Mr. Levar performs as the tenor secion leader at the First Baptist Church in Lexington, MA and as cantor at Our Lady of Snow Catholic Church in Woodstock, VT. Previously he appeared in many American cities from San Francisco to Wolf Trap, VA. New England performances have included collaborations with Boston Concert Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Longwood Opera, Opera Company of Boston, Tufts University Chorale, Salem Philharmonic, Marlborough Symphony, and New Life Symphony of Massachusetts. He especially enjoyed his season of visits to Massachusetts schools with Young Audience’s “Opera To Go” Ensemble.

Patrick Nay, Baritone Patrick Nay is a 2003 graduate of Anna Maria College, and is currently working in Franklin, MA as an Inventory Analyst. He has a Bachelor of Music in Voice and is a private voice instructor as well as a member of the Assabet Valley Mastersingers and Chamber Choir. Patrick grew up in the Worcester, MA area where he was a member of the First Congregational Church in Holden's church choir as well, and has sung in a variety of choirs and festivals throughout high school and college. Patrick's solo experience includes leading roles in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Sound of Music, MAME, HMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and other musicals as well as solo experience in classical works such as Handel's Messiah, Brahm's Requiem, and Mozart's The Magic Flute, as well as participating in various recitals and concerts since age 14.