Welcome Robert McBride! Director of Music Ministry/Organist

This summer has been full of activity in worship, missions, children, youth and adult spiritual growth about which many know from direct participation.  Our administrative teams have also been active in staffing Eastminster with the best personnel available.  Today Eastminster announces Robert McBride as Director of Music Ministry/Organist

 Robert McBride is a native of Melbourne, Florida.  At an early age he began piano studies with Joseph Kreines.  He received his Bachelor and Master's degrees from Louisiana State University.  His organ teachers have included Hilton Jones and Herndon Spillman.

Mr. McBride is a church musician with 35 years of experience (he started young!).  He has directed and accompanied in Protestant and Catholic churches as well as in community organizations such as the Indialantic Chamber Singers.  His choirs led worship in many of the great cathedrals in Italy, including the Duomo Cathedral in Florence, the Milan Cathedral, the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, St. Mark's in Venice, and St. Ignatius and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and have had the opportunity to sing for both Pope John Paul II and Benedict the XVI at their Wednesday audiences.  Robert has also organized tours through Portugal, Spain and France.

Robert comes here to oversee our entire worship and arts ministry, engaging in five principle functions.  He will direct choirs for our traditional worship services, accompany on organ and keyboard, direct Eastminster’s bell choirs, serve as keyboardist for contemporary worship, and lead our music ministry to youth.  A leader of classic music for years, Robert is also an energetic proponent of contemporary Christian music and committed to the development of the musical abilities of young musicians.  He recently formed the youth musical group, Earthen Vessels, which has performed several concerts in our area.

In addition to the functions called for in Eastminster’s portfolio, Robert is also an orchestral bassoonist. He studied bassoon with William Ludwig and has held principal bassoon positions with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, the Louisiana Sinfonietta, the Brevard Symphony Orchestra and the Atlantic Classical Orchestra.

Robert comes as the unanimous selection of the Director of Music Ministry/Organist Search Team, which evaluated over 20 highly qualified applicants and interviewed four candidates.  Members of the Search Team include Mike Drushal (chair), Claire Gibbs (secretary), Anne Adams (co-secretary), Gloria Baur, David Dunn, Teresa Fleenor and Bonnie Griffith.  Ron Marshall served as the liaison from the Personnel and Administration Committee, which also unanimously endorsed Robert McBride’s candidacy.

Robert’s first weekend in worship at Eastminster will be August 27-28.  Come prepared to welcome Robert and to be blessed by the ministry of Eastminster’s various choirs, praise teams and instrumentalists. What a joy it is to serve the Lord with such a talented staff and faithful congregation.  Welcome Robert!

See you in Church,

Tim