Bethlehem kicks off Artist Series Sunday
Bethlehem Lutheran Church will present the first music recital of a new Artist Series at 3 p.m. Sunday at the church, 1915 N. First St. in DeKalb. The concert will feature organist Jim Nerst-heimer and members of the Rockford Area Horn Club.
Nerstheimer has served as organist at Bethlehem since December 2008. His career in church music spans 30 years including a tenure at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in DeKalb from 1995-2007. Born and raised in Sterling, Nerstheimer began his formal musical instruction there with Alice Curry, later studying with Naomi Howell of Dixon and at Northern Illinois University with Robert Reeves.
The Rockford Area Horn Club was established in 1982 by Amy Nyman, with recruitment assistance from Chris Vandre. Musicians from across northern Illinois including Belvidere, Chicago, DeKalb, Freeport, Lindenwood, Monroe Center, Rockford, Sycamore and Winnebago make up the French horn section.
RAHC regularly plays for Rockford Kiwanis Brat Days and has performed at Beattie ISC (Rockford First Night). Other performance venues include weddings, funerals and memorial services, shopping malls, Rockford Memorial Hospital, Belvidere Community Christmas, nursing and retirement homes, as well as many area church services.
Nerstheimer will play organ works by Tchaikovsky, Sweelinck, Bach, Nevin and Fletcher. The horn club will present music by Gabrieli, Handel, Tchesnokov, Mouret, contemporary composer Kenneth C. Henslee, as well as a few traditional tunes. Several double choir pieces, using eight horns, will be conducted by Dave Lehman.
No admission will be charged for the concert, though a free-will offering will be taken. A reception will follow the performance in the church lounge. Bethlehem’s sanctuary is handicap accessible.
For details, call the church office at 815-758-3203 or visit www.bethlehemdekalb.org.
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