Music at Plymouth

Plymouth Congregational Church is proud to feature music every Sunday in our weekly worship service. Plymouth also hosts musical events in our beautiful sanctuary featuring seating for 400 and appealing acoustics.
 

Chancel Choir

Plymouth Church has always appreciated and supported the arts. The Chancel Choir plays an integral part in the worship service. They lead the hymn singing and provide solo pieces and anthems to the Celebration of Worship.

The Choir, which is an integral part of the life of Plymouth, is made up of volunteers and professional section leaders and soloists. In 2016 the Plymouth Foundation agreed to fund four scholarships each year to the Choir, which would greatly assist university music students in their education. It also aides the Choir in their ability to perform some of the more advanced and beautiful compositions in the church literature. The Chancel Choir rehearses at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and meets thirty minutes prior to the service on Sunday. It is open to all interested singers.

 

Plymouth opens our sanctuary for weddings, funerals, musical and community events.

Our space features:
  • Comfortable seating for 400
  • Balcony
  • Pleasing acoustics
  • Organ
  • Piano
  • Harpsichord
  • Sound System

Plymouth features world-class instruments

Though built and used primarily as a worship space, the sanctuary is also well-suited for concerts and recitals.

 

The Shantz Organ
The Yamaha Piano
The Shantz Organ
The Yamaha Piano
The Shantz Organ

The 2001 49-rank Shantz organ was built for the space and provides a glorious sound that leads us in our worship music. It is also an extraordinary solo and accompanying instrument. It was made possible primarily by an estate bequest from Plymouth member Zona Wheeler.

The Hubbard Harpsichord

The two-manual Hubbard harpsichord contains two eights and a four-foot stop. It was built for use as a solo instrument. It also has the ability to be used as a member of an orchestra and as an accompanying instrument. This instrument was a gift from member Don Moore in memory of his wife Catherine.

The Yamaha Piano

The Yamaha grand piano serves to accompany the Chancel Choir, soloists, and recitalists and is also used as a solo instrument. The Piano was donated by Gwen Fell in memory of her husband Kenneth.

 

Featured Staff

Henry Waters

Director of Music

Dr. Henry S. Waters is an active conductor, teacher, singer, clinician, and adjudicator. A Mississippi native, he graduated from Millsaps College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music with a voice concentration and a minor in business, and a Master of Business Administration the following year. While completing his MBA, Henry served Carthage United Methodist Church as Director of Music. Here, he developed a passion for conducting and worship. These passions led him to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where he completed a Master of Sacred Music and a Master of Music, both with emphasis in choral conducting. After SMU, Henry moved to Wichita, Kansas where he was Associate Professor of Vocal Music at Butler Community College. Henry completed his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting through the Conservatory at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) in May 2020 where he was a graduate teaching assistant for Dr. Robert Bode and Dr. Andrew Granade. Henry is currently Director of Choral Music/Associate Professor of Music for Bethel College. 

Chris Shaw

Organist

Christopher Shaw is an active accompanist, organist, guest conductor and recitalist. Shaw joined the Plymouth Staff as organist in the Fall of 2011. He is a graduate of Bethel College (KS) and Wichita State University, holding a bachelor’s degree in organ performance and a master’s degree in music education with an emphasis in choral conducting. Shaw studied organ with Lynne Davis, Roseann Penner Kaufman, Shirley Sprunger King, and Ken Rodgers; piano with Karen Schlabaugh and Karen Andres. During his undergraduate, Shaw did an internship with David Cherwien in Minneapolis, MN, focusing on service playing and hymn arrangements. Shaw also teaches choral music at Goddard High School, where he directs five choirs. The Concert Choir was recently invited to perform at the Kansas Music Educators Associations annual Inservice Workshop.

While working on his master’s, Shaw was the Graduate Teaching Assistant, directing the Chamber Singers and assistant to the Concert Chorale. In 2010 he was nominated for the Outstanding Young Choral Director Award given by the Kansas Choral Directors Association. Shaw previously taught in Hutchinson, Moundridge, and Madison-Virgil. Shaw is a regular performer in the Wichita Metro area and maintains a private organ studio. Shaw is an active member of the Wichita Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, where he has served as the chapter dean and given numerous recitals and workshops. Christopher lives in Kechi, with his husband Erik and their dogs, JD, Baxter, and Tucker.