Bennett G. Edwards Hired as Music Director

Bennett G. Edwards is a fourth-generation Oregonian who at age four refused to go downstairs to Sunday School lest he miss out on all the hymn singing. After his Christian faith was sparked by Handel’s Messiah, he worked as organist, soloist, and Music Director in various churches, most recently as Music Director at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Portland for the past 31 years. He has a deep love of hymnody, ancient and modern chant, and especially the Ordinary of the Mass.

Bennett holds a Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting from Portland State University, a B.A. in Organ Performance from Lewis and Clark College. He also studied at Willamette University (Computer Science) and Ludwig-Maximilians Universität in Munich (German Language, History and Literature). Since 1993, he has served as Tonal Director of Bond Organ Builders, supporting the creation and maintenance of many notable instruments in the Pacific Northwest.

Bennett enjoys cooking, poetry, linguistics, The New York Times crossword, and singing. He has sung in vocal ensembles, including Portland State Chamber Choir, Cantores in Ecclesia, and Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, for whom he was also a commissioned composer, and toured Germany as a soloist in Portland’s Bach Cantata Choir. He is an avid composer of choral and other vocal music.

Most of all, Bennett feels exceedingly grateful and honored to be invited to lead the music ministry at Saint Barnabas parish.

He begins his work with us on September 1.