Cultural Events Music Series

First United Methodist Church of San Diego’s cultural event music series brings a mix of classic and folk music to the Mission Valley neighborhood of San Diego. These free concerts take place throughout the year thanks to our generous donors. Please let us know if you'd like to support the CEC Music Series.

2025-26 Concert Season

We're excited to announce our 2025-26 Cultural Events and Evensong concert lineup! Join us for 7 free concerts featuring local and traveling award-winning musicians. Each concert takes place in the breathtaking FUMCSD sanctuary, conveniently located in Mission Valley area of San Diego. A free-will offering occurs during each event to help keep this event series going.

Organ Concert: Patrick Scott, Award-Winning Improvisational Organist

Fri. September 5, 2025 | 7 PM | Sanctuary & Livestream
Join us for an evening of entertainment with award-winning organist Patrick Scott, Director of Music and Organist, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Memphis, Tennessee. The recipient of the 2014 American Guild of Organists’ National Competition in in Organ Improvisation, Dr. Scott will present a program featuring both treasured classics of pipe organ repertoire as well an improvised suite based on suggested themes from the audience.

Dr. Patrick Scott

Choral Evensong: All Saints Day

Sat. November 1, 2025 | 6 PM | Sanctuary & Livestream
Featuring FUMCSD Chamber Choir; Brian Woods-Lustig, Conductor; Sarah Amos, Organist
First Church’s Chamber Choir will lead this beautiful service celebrating All Saints Day. Extended organ preludes begin at 6 PM; Evensong begins at 6:15 PM.

FUMCSD choir

Advent Concert: Bach, L'Estrange & Carols

Sat. December 13, 2025 | 4 PM | Sanctuary & Livestream
Featuring FUMCSD Masterwork Chorale and Chancel Choir; Brian Woods-Lustig, Conductor
This concert pairs Johann Sebastian Bach’s famous Advent cantata – Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme – with Joanna Forbes L’Estrange’s A Season to Sing, a choral reimagining of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Free childcare provided.

MLK Jr. Community Choir of San Diego

Sat. February 21, 2026 | 4 PM | Sanctuary & Livestream | Reception to Follow
Ken Anderson, Director
This celebrated multicultural choir blends traditional and contemporary gospel with spirituals, anthems, and oratorios in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.

Martin Luther King Jr. Choir of San Diego

Choral Evensong: Women's History Month

Sat. March 7, 2026 | 6 PM | Sanctuary & Livestream
Featuring FUMCSD Chamber Choir; Brian Woods-Lustig, Conductor; Emma Whitten, Organist
In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Evensong service features a program with music written entirely by female composers. Guest organist Emma Whitten will perform extended organ preludes beginning at 6 PM; Evensong begins at 6:15 PM.

Emma Whitten, guest organist

SDSU Chamber Choir: Elctroacoustic Music

Sat. April 11, 2026 | 4 PM | Sanctuary & Livestream 
Arian Khaefi, Director
Come enjoy an afternoon of electroacoustic music with San Diego State University’s Chamber Choir. The advanced ensemble will perform Mason Bates’ Mass Transmission for choir, organ, and electronics in addition to other celebrated choral works. A world premiere for solo organ and electronics by SDSU composer Douglas Osmun will rethink how you hear the Blackinton organ!

San Diego State University Chamber Choir

Spring Choral Concert: Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle

Sat. May 9, 2026 | 4 PM | Sanctuary & Livestream
Featuring FUMCSD Masterwork Chorale and Chancel Choir, and soloists; Brian Woods-Lustig, Conductor
Enjoy this special performance of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, a lesser-known mass setting written with an operatic flair. Free childcare will be available.

Support the Music Series

Our music series is made possible through the support of generous donors. Please consider becoming a patron of the music series!
Make a Donation

A Word From the Cultural Events Music Committee

We are so fortunate to receive your generous contributions dedicated to the Cultural Events Committee Music Series. While we always have enthusiastic audiences for these concerts, the free-will offerings and donations at the door simply do not cover the actual expenses of underwriting these excellent performances. We are dedicated to producing only high-quality and inspirational events, so your donations truly make that possible.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to seeing you at the Music Series concerts this season and for many years to come!

John Mathison, Chair, Cultural Events Committee
First United Methodist Church of San Diego

Cultural Events Committee

John Mathison, chair, Jim Bliesner, Demmie Divine, Katie Englund, Nick Hubsmith, Brian Woods-Lustig, Belen Poltorak, Suzanne Stofer, Katherine Stone, Nathan Stowe, Steve Zawadzki

2024-25 Concert Recordings

Our 2024-25 concert season included 5 memorable events! Here are recordings of some of these events for you to enjoy.

Alan Montgomery Organ Concert

Recorded October 5, 2024

Enjoy the artistry of Alan Montgomery, Interim Director of Music and Organist of the Riverside Church in New York. Mr. Montgomery holds degrees from the Juilliard School of Music and from the Royal College of Music in London.

"Modern Saints" Choral Concert

Recorded November 2, 2024

Witness modern-day depictions of saints with an art exhibition featuring the work of Grace Morbitzer, while enjoying a choral concert of hymns and anthems sung by First Church San Diego's Jubilee Singers, Chamber Choir, and our youth ensembles. Conducted by Brian Woods-Lustig and Dana Zimbric.

2024 Advent Choral Concert

Recorded December 14, 2024

Sung by the Masterwork Chorale and FUMCSD Chancel Choir, and conducted by Brian Woods-Lustig, this concert will get everyone into the Christmas spirit with works including Conrad Susa’s  Carols and Lullabies, Britten’s  Ceremony of Carols, carols by Mack Wilberg, and even a few carols for audience participation.

Spring Choral Concert: Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem

Recorded May 3, 2025

Enjoy a new transcription of Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem that sharpens focus on the choir voices supported by pipe organ and select percussion instruments! Concert performed by Masterwork Chorale and First Church Chancel Choir, with Brian Woods-Lustig, conductor.