Marnie and Joachim began as Joint Music Directors in November, 2003. We have been blessed to work as a team and to have Rev. Harry Currie sing in the choir from the start, which has insured close communications and mutual support of music and ministry at First Presbyterian Church.
As church musicians we are committed to drawing on the rich repertoire of choral and organ/piano music to enhance and contribute to our Christian worship. The choir is an essential part of our worship services and leads the community in congregational singing. We draw from all periods and genres of music, concentrating on hymns and anthems that are theologically rich and have musical integrity. Most of the hymns we sing come are from the Book of Praise hymnbook of the Presbyterian Church of Canada which has excellent sources including global hymnody. We supplement the keyboard (organ and piano) instruments with brass, woodwinds, strings and bells.
Marnie Giesbrecht and Joachim Segger, a married couple, are the uniquely versatile and innovative keyboard team Duo Majoya that has circled the globe performing keyboard duets in all combinations. The duo has performed their distinctive repertoire of commissioned, original and arranged works on community and university concert series, at conventions and international organ festivals. Commissions include more than twenty pieces for organ duet and organ/piano by Canadian and international composers; Duo Majoya records a broad range of keyboard duet repertoire on CDs and YouTube videos.
Enthusiasts and advocates for the development of organ music in Edmonton and Canada through leadership roles in the RCCO and other regional and national musical organizations, Giesbrecht and Segger also serve the Edmonton community as music directors at First Presbyterian Church. The duo was inducted into the Edmonton Cultural Hall of Fame in June, 2014 for their individual careers and exceptional work as Duo Majoya. In July, 2015, Giesbrecht and Segger became Honorary Fellows of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. For more information please visit www.duomajoya.com.
Marnie Giesbrecht
Marnie Giesbrecht performs as organ soloist and collaborative artist on organ, piano and harpsichord. Dr. Giesbrecht is Professor Emerita at the University of Alberta and Adjunct Professor of Music at The King’s University, Edmonton.
Joachim Segger
Joachim Segger is a versatile musician who performs extensively as piano soloist and collaborative artist on piano, organ and harpsichord. Dr. Segger is Professor Emeritus (Piano) and former Chair of the Music Department at The King’s University, Edmonton.
Graham Fast
Graham Fast is a graduate from the Choral Conducting Masters program at the University of Alberta and is an avid singer, conductor, and music administrator in Edmonton. When not singing, Graham is at work organizing and editing sheet music as the Assistant Librarian with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, in addition to engaging the amateur musical community in Edmonton with virtual projects through educational outreach programs through the ESO. Graham works as Assistant Conductor and Handbell Coordinator with the First Presbyterian Church Choir and Bell Choir, as well as bass vocal coach for the Richard Eaton Singers, under the direction of Leonard Ratzlaff. Graham’s involvement and relationship with the community of First Presbyterian has grown substantially through the past few years and he enjoys working with music directors Marnie Giesbrecht and Joachim Segger on a regular basis, expanding the choir’s singing ability and repertoire.
In his limited free time, Graham enjoys film photography and the darkroom process involved with developing and printing photographs. Graham is grateful to use a space in First Presbyterian Church as a darkroom lab, where he can enjoy the art, time-commitment, and patience of film photography!