Messiah Lutheran series offers
mid-day music break from work
By Kevin Kelley
happenings
Published Feb. 23, 2005

If you're looking for a high culture, yet relaxing musical encounter to recharge your batteries for the weekday grind, look no farther than Messiah Lutheran Church, 21485 Lorain Road in Fairview Park.

Since Feb. 8, the church has been hosting "Music For Tuesdays," a weekly foray into classical music. Every Tuesday at 12:10 p.m. in the sanctuary of the church, between one and five musicians perform a concert of about 45 minutes in length. Church members and guests are encouraged to bring their own brown bag lunch; coffee, tea and cookies are provided by the church.

The series is organized by David Gooding, Messiah Lutheran's director of music ministries. Gooding, a voice teacher, composer and performer, has a most impressive list of accomplishments and professional experiences in the musical arts. He was chorusmaster with the Cleveland Opera from 1992-2002, resident music director for the Cleveland Playhouse from 1977 to 1990, and organist with the Cleveland Orchestra from 1961 through 1974. His resume lists orchestral and choral conducting work and study with George Szell and Robert Shaw as well as composition study with the great American composer Aaron Copland.

The well-connected Gooding has had no problem bringing in talented musicians for the series.

"They come from all over creation," Gooding said of the musicians he enlists. "They're friends of mine. Occasionally they are singers who have studied with me, professional instrumentalists, ensembles, sort of a wide-ranging collection of performers -- people that I have known and worked with over the years."

Despite the professional background of Gooding and his weekly troupe, the concert series is surprisingly informal.

"It's the traditional brown bag 'bring your lunch and we'll supply the beverages' -- and in this case we supply the cookies, too -- (concert)," Gooding said. "Come, stay as long as you can, leave early or come late. It's not a strenuous sit-down concert."

The series covers a wide variety of music, ranging from religious to classical to contemporary. Many of the concerts feature vocalists.

Most performances take place in the choir loft, which makes sense since that's where the organ and piano are located. Performances not needing keyboard instruments are done in the front of the church.

"It's a good mid-week use of sacred space," said Gooding, who has been Messiah Lutheran's music director since September.

The instruments played throughout the series are varied as well. Along with the organ and piano, they include familiar ones such as the French horn and trumpet. More unusual instruments played at Messiah Lutheran have included a group of various-sized recorders and viols, ancient string instruments which Gooding described as tiny cellos.

Often Gooding or another musician will give a short introduction of that week's music or instruments being played.

A freewill offering is accepted, with money going to the choir fund for the church.

"The people who are (performing) are almost without exception doing them gratis," Gooding said. "It's a labor of love just for about everyone involved in it."

Next Tuesday's concert features Gooding on piano and David Pierce on recorder performing Baroque delights. For a complete schedule of the series, which runs through May 3, visit Messiah Lutheran Church's Web site at www.messiahFP.org.