Mid-Day Noels: Organist Weston Jennings

Westminster Presbyterian Church continues a 27-year holiday tradition of hosting free musical concerts featuring world-class musicians. “Mid-Day Noels” organizer and Westminster Music Director Dalton calls the concert series a “Christmas Present” from Westminster to Nacogdoches. Admission is free and the performances will also be broadcast live on facebook.com/westpresnac. Organist Weston Jennings will close out the 27th season with a performance on Thurs., Dec. 16 at 12:15 p.m. Having first encountered the pipe organ at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp (Michigan) at the age of 16, Jennings later graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy. At the Eastman School of Music, he earned his Bachelor of Music Degree and the prestigious Performer’s Certificate. In May of 2017, he graduated from the Yale School of Music and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music with his Master of Music Degree. Jennings is an enthusiastic advocate for new music and has premiered compositions by Molly Joyce, Soosan Lolavar, Mark Carroll and Allison Willis. His performances and interviews have been broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and American Public Media’s Pipedreams. Jennings has played The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC), Westminster Abbey (London), Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue (New York), The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (Los Angeles), The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Denver), the Chapel of the Queen’s College (Oxford), Royaumont Abbey (France) and the Berliner Dom (Germany). He currently resides in Tyler, Texas where he serves as Director of Music and Organist of First Presbyterian Church, as well as Artistic and Executive Director of the Tyler Civic Chorale. In a review of Jennings’ performance at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church (London), Director of Music Philip Luke wrote, “From the very first note, the audience was gripped and sustained through every twist and turn of the unusually colourful programme.” Following the concert, lunches will be served in Westminster Hall for a suggested donation of $7 per person.