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.”
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.
A Virtual Tour of the Church Organ
Organist — Bruce Adami
Bruce Adami has served as Christ Church’s organist since September 2007. From 1984-2004 he was Director of Music and Organist at Brookside Congregational Church (UCC), Manchester, NH; and from 1981-1984 was Director of Music and Organist at Grace Episcopal Church, Lawrence, Massachusetts. A graduate of Oberlin College-Conservatory of Music in 1978, Bruce holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Organ Performance. He has given organ recitals throughout the U.S.
He has served as Treasurer and Dean of the New Hampshire Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. He currently serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of Bear-Paw Regional Greenways, a land trust with over 9,000 acres of conserved lands in the eleven-town region between Bear Brook and Pawtuckaway State Parks. He is past 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.
Our Parish Choir, comprised of adults and teens, sings at our 10:00 service most Sunday mornings. At Christmas and Easter, this group expands to become Festival Choir, providing opportunities for other parishioners to join them in special service music. The anthems they provide always enhance our worship experience and often include soaring solos by some of our gifted singers.
We also have a number of talented instrumentalists of all ages in our parish who are often part of our liturgies either as guest soloists, in a small chamber ensemble, or as accompaniment for the choir during anthems.