The Riverside Choir sings every Sunday morning September –June, and at other special services through the year. The choir sings the full range of choral repertoire from classical composers such as Mendelssohn, Handel, and Howells, to American composers and spirituals.
The Inspirational Choir sings Gospel and contemporary Christian music, often accompanied with piano, bass guitar and percussion.
The Riverside Ringers is a handbell choir which plays a wide range of sacred repertoire, including arrangements of familiar works and hymn tune settings. No audition, some music and rhythm reading required. Available to join all season.
Raise Your Voice! Come sing with the Rising Voices! This exciting singing opportunity is open to all children in 2nd through 6th grades. Singing with the Rising Voices is a fun way for the children of the Riverside Church to build connections with one another and to contribute to their church community! We meet every Sunday morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in Chapel of the Cross. For more information, please contact Matthew Hommez, director of the Rising Voices, at mrhommez@gmail.com.
The Cherub Choir is a safe and nurturing environment for children ages 4-7 to be introduced to music.
The Riverside Youth String Ensemble is open to violin, viola, cello, and bass players in grades 6-12. Ensemble members learn how to play classical chamber music in a nurturing Christian environment and serve the community by performing in worship and other events throughout the school year. Prospective members are invited to audition by contacting Kristi Giles at kristihen@gmail.com.
The Carillon was a gift to The Riverside Church by the late John D. Rockefeller, Jr., in memory of his mother. It contains 74 bronze bells ranging in weight from the 20 ton (18 metric) Bourdon (hour bell) to the smallest treble bell of 10 pounds (4.5 kg). The Bourdon is the largest and heaviest carillon bell ever cast. The total weight of all the bells is over 100 tons (91 metric).
When installed at The Park Avenue Baptist Church in 1925 by Gillett & Johnston Foundry of England, it was already the world’s largest carillon, with 53 bells and a bourdon of ten tons. When it moved here, with the congregation, in 1930, it was enlarged by Gillett & Johnston to become the first carillon to surpass five musical octaves; it is the only carillon to have achieved a bourdon pitch of C, a full octave below the normal range for a carillon. In 1956, the upper range of bells was replaced by the Van Bergen Foundry of the Netherlands.