| 302 East
Independence |
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Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday Worship 6:30 p.m. |
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Music Ministry |
| Worship Arts Director . .. Sara Ledford is a native of Shawnee. Sara's interest in conducting began as a student at Oklahoma Baptist University. Her debut was a tone poem she wrote for orchestra and conducted at OBU’s prestigious Concerto-Aria event. She earned the Bachelor of Music with Honors in Theory and Composition from OBU in 2005. Sara was accepted into two degree programs at the famed Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY and spent three years there developing her passion for conducting and her skills as a musician. While at Eastman, she sang in no less than five ensembles per semester including Eastman’s Chorale, Repertory Singers, Women’s Chorus, Voices chamber ensemble, and the Eastman-Rochester Chorus. She conducted many concerts with chorus and orchestra and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in theory and aural skills. Outside of her educational pursuits, Sara served for two years as Assistant Conductor of the Gregory Kunde Chorale, Rochester’s premiere chamber choir. There she had the privilege of leading chorus and orchestra in major works by Randall Thompson, Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, Rossini, Vaughn Williams, and Handel, to name a few. She also founded and taught ChorusPlus, a series of interactive classes designed to help community choral singers develop their musicianship skills in a safe and fun environment. Sara completed the Master of Music in Choral Conducting and the Master of Arts in Theory Pedagogy at Eastman in 2008 and is currently pursuing a doctorate in conducting at the University of Oklahoma. After returning to Oklahoma Sara jumped into Shawnee’s community music scene as Musical Director for Shawnee Little Theatre’s production of Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical in October of ‘08 and is honored to hold the position of Artistic Director of Sine Nomine Choral Society of Central Oklahoma, the Shawnee area’s community chorus. Throughout her life Sara has enjoyed participating in church choral music. She has played bass guitar in a praise band and has served as a church pianist. Sara has a comfort level with many styles of music and leads Wesley’s congregation in all aspects of the worship arts. Sara is married to Danny Ledford.
Sara Ledford
Church Organist and Pianist / Choir Accompanist Lisa Schutten began playing the piano at 8 years of age. She accompanied band solos and church choirs while still in grade school,and played for her first wedding when she was 13 years old. This love of music has continued for over 40 years, with her specializing in church music and accompanying. She has just resumed her fifteen year teaching career, with a private piano studio in her home. Lisa and her husband Gary have been married for 25 years and have 2 children. They also have 4 grandchildren: Kaylie and Hunter, and twins Ella and Elise. Gary has been a funeral director in Shawnee for 40 years. Ephesians 3:14-21 expresses what Lisa desires for our church family here at Wesley United Methodist Church.
Lisa Schutten
Stephanie Marchbanks is a student at OBU and is the Director of "Kidz Praise," our children's choir. She is from Overland Park, KS, and is on an academic and music scholarship to OBU, where she is also the Dean's Assistant in the College of Fine Arts. Her major is vocal music education. Back at her high school near Kansas City, Stephanie was chairperson one year of Angel Tree for kids. She also has experience caretaking young children at a day care facility there.
Stephanie Marchbanks
Praise Team The vocal part of this team is composed of adults with varying musical skills and abilities who love to sing. They sing in all Sunday morning worship services as well as other times throughout the year. Rehearsals are on Wednesday evenings, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. and again on Sunday mornings at 10:20 a.m., just before worship.
Hand Bells
Children's Choir/Orf Instruments
Instrumentals. Soloists. and Groups
Crystal Barger
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