© 2016 Western Presbyterian Church; 101 E. Main St.; Palmyra, NY 14522; 315-597-9171
Music Ministry
From left to right:
Heather Trapiss, Chancel Choir Director,
Nancy Kratzert, Bell Choir Director,
Jack Moak, Organist, Accompanist
Chancel Choir Director, Heather Trapiss graduated from Pal-Mac high school
in 1992. She attended The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. While
there she received both her undergraduate degree and master's degree in
Music Education. She also received her performance certificate on flute.
Heather taught 5th-7th grade band in the Rush-Henrietta School District from
1998-2005. In the Fall of 2005, Heather started teaching at the Pittsford
Central School District where she currently teaches 6th-8th grade bands and
Jazz Band. Heather has been the Chancel Choir director at the Western
Presbyterian Church since January of 2013.
Our People
The music program is blessed by the service of
several music professionals and others with
strong musical training. Our director is a music
teacher in the public school system while our
organist Jack, is a gifted professional with years
of training and dedicated service to Western
Presbyterian Church. Nancy, our bell choir
director teaches piano in the community. Others
in our choir play instruments and have sung in
other notable choirs such as the Rochester
Oratorio Society.
Overview
Music is an important tradition at Western Presbyterian Church. Our 30-
member chancel choir, under the capable baton of director Heather
Trapiss, provides spiritual inspiration through music every Sunday at the
10:00 am service.
The choir also presents worship music at special services such as
Christmas Eve, Easter, and when requested, at funerals, and memorial
services. The choir aspires to augment the worship experience and
bring the congregation closer to a true sense of the liturgical words and
actions. Their purpose is not entertainment for entertainment’s sake.
How I wept, deeply moved by your hymns, songs, and the voices
that echoed through your Church! What emotion I experienced in
them! Those sounds flowed into my ears, distilling the truth in my
heart. A feeling of devotion surged within me, and tears streamed
down my face -- tears that did me good. (St. Augustine,
Confessions 9:6, 14)
The Bell Choir
Western Presbyterian Church is fortunate to have
been the recipient of an estate bequest which
provided a full set of hand bells to augment our
musical worship. Bell choir director Nancy Kratzert
together with several choir members and an equal
number of musically gifted from the congregation
(including youth) have joined to offer bell
presentations on a regular basis as well as at special
services. (e.g. Christmas Eve). Their musical gifts
richly enhance WPC’s worship experience.
