SPRC News: Welcome, Andrew Mattfeld!

The Staff Parish Relations Committee would like to welcome Andrew Mattfeld to the First United Methodist Church staff as our new Director of Music Ministries. At his recent interview and audition, the SPRC was impressed with Andrew’s performance on both piano and organ, by his comfortably confident manner and sense of humor, and by his understanding of the spiritual requirements of the position.

His current employer, Pastor Cheryl R. Peeples, said of Andrew:

“Andrew understands that leading music in worship is not only about performance but is instead about leading the congregation in worship of God. He has been involved in church all his life and has a respect and reverence for what he is doing. He completely understands that the music used in any service should go along with the theme of that worship service and not simply be music that he or the choir wants to sing or play.”

Originally from the suburbs of New York City, Andrew Mattfeld has spent the last 8 years living in Ithaca, New York studying, teaching, and conducting. His early training in music consisted of intensive voice and piano, having studied with such great teachers as Morris Borenstien of The Julliard School and soprano Eileen Mackintosh. Andrew holds both Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Ithaca College in Vocal Performance having studied with soprano Patrice Pastore, and tenor Dr. David Parks. He also studied collaborative piano with Dr. Charis Dimaras, and conducting with Lawrence Doebler, Dr. Janet Galván, and Dr. Jeffery Meyer.

An active church musician since the age of 8, Andrew has been Director of Music for The First Presbyterian Church of Ulysses in Trumansburg, New York, for the last 4 years. As Director, he has broadened his choirs’ repertoire and opened the church up to festival performances of major works, most recently Händel’s Messiah. As organist, he pulls from a large repertoire of organ music to provide an eclectic, diverse, and uplifting experience for his congregation.

Andrew has also been an active recitalist in Ithaca, performing both solo voice recitals and collaborations between area orchestras and other soloists, most recently Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings. He will be moving to the Boston area in July to establish himself as a teacher, singer, and conductor, in addition to his ministry with us at FUMC, and he is looking forward to the vibrant musical scene in and around this cultural center of America.

Andrew would like to thank everyone for their kind welcome, and he looks forward to meeting each and every one of you in hopes of fostering a long, fruitful, and musical future at First United Methodist Church in Melrose.