Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord
The Christ Church Choir rehearses from September to May: Wednesday evenings from 7-8:30 pm in the church.
The choir sings at the 10:00 am service most Sundays between Labor Day and Memorial Day, with special offerings on Christmas Eve and Good Friday. Music reading is not required, but singing experience is helpful. Email Director of Music Suzanne Jones at suzanne.m.j.jones@gmail.com with inquiries.
Director of Music — Suzanne Jalbert Jones
Suzanne Jalbert Jones is our Director of Music. As our Director of Music from 2014 – 2018, Suzanne enjoyed the richly musical and spiritual parish of Christ Church and considers it her home. She returned in 2023 and brings with her a diverse background of musical training from New England Conservatory of Music and University of New Hampshire, although her greatest teachers are her friends and family, with whom she often shares the stage.
She honors the power of music to heal and bring people together and has built her musical practice upon that tenant. She hopes to inspire any individual, with a song in their heart, to join the Christ Church Choir! In her words: “she is grateful to once again be making a joyful sound with Christ Church Exeter.”
March 5, 2025
To the Christ Church Community:
I write to share the news that Bruce Adami, our organist, has announced his retirement.
Bruce came to Christ Church in September 2007 as our Interim Organist. He was appointed “settled” organist in the spring of 2008. In the summer of 2011 he was named Interim Director of Music. In the fall of 2013 he became Director of Music and Organist. In October 2015 he returned to his organist position. Before coming to Exeter, he served as Director of Music and Organist at Brookside Congregational Church (UCC), Manchester, New Hampshire from 1984-2004; from 1981-1984 he was Director of Music and Organist at Grace Episcopal Church, Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Bruce graduated from Oberlin College-Conservatory of Music in 1978 with a Bachelor of Music degree in organ performance. Over the years, Bruce has given organ recitals throughout New England. He also has served as Treasurer and Dean of the New Hampshire Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and as Chair of the Board of the Young Organist Collaborative, an organization whose mission is to encourage middle and high school students to study the pipe organ. He serves on the faculty of that Collaborative and has also taught privately for many years. Bruce has been a trusted colleague for me since I arrived at Christ Church in 2013.
We will share with the congregation a time when we can hold a reception for Bruce in the Parish Hall to celebrate his many years of ministry here at Christ Church.
You may have noticed that organists) wear special shoes for the amazing foot work they do on those pedals. Now, my job is to find the person who can fill Bruce’s organ shoes. It won’t be easy.
The Rev. Mark Pendleton
Rector
Our Organ
Christ Church has a long history of loving its music in all forms as part of our worship and as a pure demonstration of the beauty of God’s melodies in our lives. Our programs include choirs made up of adults, teens, and children as well as some of our talented instrumentalist parishioners.
At the center of our music program are our two prized instruments: the Liveley-Fulcher organ built in 2006 and our 1939 Steinway Model L small concert grand piano. Our organ has 3 manuals, 43 ranks, and 2,653 pipes and is considered to be one of the finest instruments in New Hampshire. It is in great demand for organ recitals and concerts by many diverse community groups.
Coupled with the outstanding acoustics in our recently remodeled sanctuary, we regularly host music programs sponsored by community organizations, including Amare Cantare, Rockingham Choral Society, Portsmouth Pro Musica, and the Community Chorus of South Berwick ME.